


When the Sky Begins to Fall

by orphan_account



Series: Ode to Explode to [2]
Category: Divergent (Movies), Divergent Series - Veronica Roth
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Angst, Drug Use, Evil!Eric, F/M, Flogging, Hollow Body Got A Hold On Me, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Sequel, Violence, Withdrawal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-25
Packaged: 2018-04-13 21:37:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 25
Words: 55,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4538313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>*sequel to hollow body got a hold on me* Choices are made, and lives are forever changed. Dark feelings, and enemies, resurface as Jai Eric Courtney struggles to find himself, again. Will he be able to scrape the pieces of his life back together? Or will his choices, and the choices of others, cause him to shatter, irreparably?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Alright guys, here is the promised sequel to Hollow Body Got A Hold On Me! Enjoy, and sit tight, this is gonna be a long one.

** Amar's POV: **

 

_10 months ago_

 

"Amar, welcome," Jeanine greeted me as I entered her office. I hate coming here. It's too white.

I take the seat she offers me, as she sits behind her desk.

"I appreciate your cooperation, Amar," she begins, as two men dressed in blue suits, with long, dark blue overcoats enter the room and stand on either side of me.

I swallow nervously.

I'm scared.

 

"What exactly do you need me to do?"

Jeanine smiles at me; it's not a pleasant expression.

She nods, and one of the men holds my shoulders, while the other injects something into my neck. My eyes go wide with shock, and my hand flies to the injection site, feeling the small hole there, with my fingertips.

"What is that? What did you do to me?" I ask, in confusion and fear.

 

"Don't worry, we're just testing a new serum," Jeanine smiles, that cold, fake smile again.

"You can go, now," she says, looking down at some paperwork on her desk.

I get up, and make my out of her office, down the stairs, and then out the door.

 

I don't feel any differently.

What was that stuff?

 

 

 

 

_Six hours later_

I was heading to the Pit, when it happened.

I stopped in my tracks, and turned around, robotically, heading back up the stairs.

I don't know what I'm doing, but I can't seem to stop myself.

 

I find myself outside of one of the new apartments, just down from Eric's, and I knock.

"Come in!" That's Stormy's voice.

I push open the door, and enter her apartment. She is standing in front of the mirror, and it appears she might be going out.

She turns around, and apparently I'm not who she was expecting.

 

"Amar?" she asks, in confusion.

 

I want to say something, but I can't.

I find myself moving towards her, as she backs up, against the wall.

I lunge forward, and inject a pale blue liquid into her throat.

How did that get there?

She doesn't scream; she just drops to the floor in a heap.

 

Six figures in dark blue, almost black, uniforms enter through her window.

They pick her up and attach her to a harness, as I find myself by the side of her bed, making a pile of blankets on the floor.

 

Stormy and the men are gone, now.

 

I pull a small vial of yellow liquid from my pocket, and smash it against the curtains, the liquid seeping through the fabric.

I find myself pulling a book of matches out of my other pocket, as well, and I strike one, the stick lighting up instantly, and I throw it against the curtains.

 

All of a sudden, I feel like myself again.

I stare in horror as the fire licks across the walls, spreading to the ceiling.

What have I done?

 

I exit her apartment quickly, locking the door and closing it behind me, as I make my way to a dark, and secluded spot.

 

I find myself rocking back, and forth, and trembling.

What have I done?

What have I done?

What have I done?

 

Before I know what's happening, Eric is standing in front of me.

What do I say to him?

"I-," I begin, not sure of what to say, when Eric punches me in the nose.

 

 

 

 

** Jeanine's POV: **

 

I stare at the monitors, seething in anger.

"It didn't work correctly! He fucking knew what he was doing!" I scream at the younger people around me.

"But, it did work," a new member of Erudite tries to explain. "He did what he was supposed to, didn't he?"

 

I turn around, and glare at the girl who dared to speak out of turn.

I back hand her roughly.

"If Eric hadn't killed the Divergent, he would've gone to the Council! They would've discovered the chip!"

I sigh, in exasperation.

 

"Get my things ready, I leave for Dauntless in three days, once I've cleaned up this mess. And I'm taking Annie with me, she knows what to do."

 

 

 

 

_Present day - One year after Stormy's initiation_

** Eric's POV: **

 

I awake from my sleep, feeling numb.

I always feel numb, because of the serum.

Jeanine never has told me what it is called, so I just call it Red.

Annie stopped coming about six months ago; she taught me how to do it myself.

 

 

I inject the blood-colored liquid into my arm, just like every morning.

Then I get dressed, and comb my hair back, as I exit my apartment.

Today is choosing day.

There will be new initiates, today, and I'll be overseeing the transfers, again.

This time, Four will be with me, too.

 

Fucking yippee.

 

Speak of the devil.

"Eric!" I growl, as Four runs up to me.

"What do you want, Stiff?" I glare at him, but it never seems to faze him, anymore.

"The new batch is arriving any second, now."

"Fine," I say, in a monotone snarl.

 

Four heads to wait at the bottom of the net, and I make my way to the roof.

I'm not looking forward to this; it's a waste of my time.

I want to be hunting the Divergents, but Jeanine says that this is where it starts; that the serum will be ready, soon.

 

I sigh, as I stand impatiently on the ledge above the hidden entrance.

I feel the roof trembling, and then I see the train, initiates jumping off, trying not to fall.

One boy almost does; he hangs off the ledge for a moment, before pulling himself back over the edge, his face white.

I smirk; it would've been entertaining if he had fallen.

 

I watch the last two initiates jump off, out of the last car, and they barely make it, rolling onto the roof just in time.

Another Stiff.

 

"Initiates!" I speak above the chattering teenagers. "Listen up! Today you have chosen Dauntless as your new faction. The only way in is to jump off this roof. And somebody's gotta go first, so, who's it gonna be?"

My eyes scan the new flock, searching for a volunteer.

I'm about to pick the Candor boy, but a voice stops me.

 

"Me! I'll go first."

I watch as the Abnegation girl pushes her way to the front, before climbing up on the ledge.

She stares into the hole, and glances at me briefly.

I wonder if I'm gonna have to push her in.

"Today, Initiate!"

She takes a deep breath, and jumps.

 

Once everyone has jumped, I turn around and take the stairs, into the corridor that leads into the Pit.

Four has lead the transfers to their new dorm, and Lauryn has taken the Dauntless-born to theirs'.

 

I head into the bar, seating myself on a stool at the far end of the counter.

I drink alone.

I'm always alone.

It doesn't bother me, at all.

 

 

 

 

** Caleb's POV: **

 

I chose Erudite, today. I don't know what to expect, exactly. But, my test resulted in Erudite. So, I chose Erudite. I trust the test.

Beatrice chose Dauntless.

I always knew she would leave; she never belonged in Abnegation. She was too selfish, but, that was okay with me.

My sister is one of a kind.

 

I like my new room. It's all white; a far site better than the many tones of gray we had in Abnegation.

I have my own bed, and bathroom and everything.

I've ditched my old clothes, and was given a pressed, blue suit with a white shirt to wear.

It definitely makes me look smarter.

 

I hope Beatrice can handle herself well in Dauntless.

I hope my parents can cope, with both their children defected.

I hope I can make it, here.

 

I decide to go exploring.

The halls are quiet, and I've noticed since my arrival this morning, most of the people here keep to themselves, with their nose stuck in a book.

That must be why some people refer to them as Noses.

 

I turn a corner, and see Marcus heading the opposite direction.

What is he doing here?

I decide to follow him.

 

The leader of Abnegation rounds a corner, and I tip toe over, peaking around the corner.

There are six, white metal doors, and a woman dressed in a white outfit stands at the end of that hall.

"I need to see Kaitlynn," he mutters, gruffly.

"Kaitlynn?" the woman asks, apparently startled. "But, sir, you've already seen Kaitlynn, today. Are you sure you wouldn't like to-."

"Kaitlynn!" Marcus shouts, apparently growing angry.

 

The woman looks flustered, but points Marcus to the far room on the left side of the hall, and then goes to open a door on the opposite side.

"Kaitlynn!" she calls. "You're requested in room three."

A moment later, and a girl with blonde hair exits the room.

She is wearing a white dress, and no shoes.

 

She looks really sad, and the Abnegation in me feels bad for her.

What is going on in here?

Kaitlynn walks dejectedly into the room where Marcus awaits.

 

"What are you doing here?"

I turn around quickly, tripping over myself and falling to the floor.

"I-, I was-," I stutter, embarrassed and afraid that I was caught; by Jeanine Matthews, herself.

She smiles at me then.

"I guess you've heard about our little "operation", huh?" she says, quietly.

I nod, slowly, not at all sure of what she means.

 

"Would you like to participate?" she asks, genuinely curious.

I gulp, and nod my head.

I have no idea what's going on, but, this is one way to find out.

 

 

 

** Stormy's POV: **

 

I lay on my white bed, in my white room, in my white dress, with the white blanket pulled over my head as I cry.

I try not to cry too often, anymore.

It only makes my situation more difficult.

 

Marcus was here again, today. He comes often, and he always asks for me.

I hate the man.

He's always dirty, and wants me to do filthy, unspeakable things.

I try not to think about it, but my anger at him helps to cease my tears.

 

It was almost a year ago, when I left my family at Erudite. When I chose Dauntless, I never thought I would return to this place.

I especially never thought that, if I did, it would be to this end.

I'm guessing my family doesn't know that I'm here.

They've either been notified of my "death", or they are blissfully unaware of my shameful existence.

 

I don't see how I can ever escape this place.

No one that cares about me, knows that I'm alive.

Eric doesn't know that I'm alive...

 

I start at the sound of the door clicking open, once again.

"Kaitlynn, you are requested in room three," the lady tells me.

How does she live with herself?

They have to know what's going on, behind the closed doors.

I glare at her, as I stand, and walk through the door for the second time today.

I'll never get out of here.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter One

Four's POV:

 

A girl from Abnegation transferred to Dauntless today; Tris. She's so cocky, and arogant, and doesn't seem to know when to keep her mouth shut.  
But, there's just something about her...

Anyway, I can't think about that right now.  
I need to find Eric.   
I know today must be hard on him.  
When Stormy died, he withdrew, again; the way he was before she transferred from Erudite.  
But, he's different, now, too.   
I don't know what it is...

I find him in the bar, and walk over to sit beside him on a stool, and order two shots of whiskey. I down one, quickly, then turn to face the cruel leader.  
"How you doing?" I ask, trying to be friendly, but not too friendly.  
He doesn't like me anymore.

Eric turns to glare at me.  
"Don't you have initiates to babysit?" he asks, darkly.  
"They've been tucked in," I reply, downing the other shot.  
Eric sighs. "What do you want?"  
"I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I mean, I know today must be pretty difficult... I mean, you met Sto-."  
"Do. Not. Speak." Eric growls, and, for the first time since our own initiation, I feel intimidated by the blonde. He downs the three shots of vodka in front of him, and stands quickly, stumbling a bit, before storming out of the bar.

Well, I tried.

 

 

Stormy's POV:

 

I hate that there are no windows in this part of the building; I never know what time it is, by the light.  
The only thing that let's me know another day has started, or ended, are the two meager meals I'm given every day.  
Toast and water, for breakfast.  
Cornbread and water, for dinner.

Sometimes, Jeanine leaves me a note on my table; informing me that there is new security camera feed of Eric.  
I don't watch them, anymore.  
He's turned into a monster, if the videos are anything to go by.  
He's cold, and heartless, and unforgiving...  
He's not my Eric, anymore.

I hold my shoulders back, and walk into room three, only to find that it's not Marcus waiting for me.  
I don't know who this boy is; he's young, with long, messy brown hair.  
I hesitate in the doorway, before I'm pushed in when the lady in white closes the door on me, and I fall to my hands and knees on the cold, hard floor.

"Are you okay?" the boy inquires, as he rushes to help me up.  
Well, this is a first.  
Usually, everybody else causes me to fall.  
They never help me up.  
I allow him to help me, as he leads me over to the bed, and we sit down.

"So," he begins. "I'm Caleb. Caleb Prior." He holds his hand out for me to shake, but I don't budge. He lowers his hand, awkwardly.  
"Can we just get this over with?" I ask, in exasperation. I just want to be done with this, and get back to my room. 

"Uh, what exactly are we supposed to do?" he asks, nervously.  
I glare at him in annoyance.  
He doesn't have to feign ignorance; he has to know.  
He came in and asked for me, after all.

"Whatever the fuck you want," I spit at him. He looks taken aback, and flustered.  
"What, you've never come here, before?" I ask.  
"No," he says, with honesty in his eyes.   
I believe him; but that doesn't mean I'm okay with his choice to come in here.  
"You're allowed to do whatever you want; however you want. I've showered since the last client. The only rule, is you have to use protection. Jeanine doesn't want any of the other clients getting diseases, or anything."

Caleb seems to think that over in his head, for a moment, and then shock lights his innocent features.  
"We're supposed to have sex?" he asks, horror in his voice.  
I stare at him dumbly.  
"Yes," I say, slowly. Honestly, could anyone be that thick?

"I-, I don't want to have sex with you," he says, quietly, blushing.  
It's my turn to look shocked.  
"You don't?" I ask, honestly curious. Why did he come in here, otherwise?

"No," he replies, quickly. "No, I-, I just... I saw my former leader come in here earlier. And he asked for you... And I saw you go in there, and you just- you just looked so... defeated."  
Shit.  
This boy is Abnegation, through and through.

"Why are you here? Why are they making you do this?" he asks, the questions coming at me like bullets. "Is this your job? Do you get paid? Am I supposed to pay you?"  
I laugh darkly, at that.  
"No, Caleb Prior, I do not want to this. This is not my job. I do not get paid. I was in the way of someone that Jeanine wanted to control, and this is how she got rid of me," I tell him, honestly.

"Oh, my goodness!" he exclaims, raising a hand to his cheek. "I'm-, I'm so sorry. I didn't know... Can I help?"  
I snort.  
"Can you get me out of here, and back to Dauntless, where I belong? Without Jeanine finding out?" I ask, knowing the answer, before I ask.  
"I don't... I don't know," he whispers, apologetically.  
I sigh.

"Look," I begin. "It's not your place. There's nothing you can do. If you don't want to fuck me," he covers his ears at the profane word, "then I'll be on my way."  
And with that, I stand, and knock on the door, and the lady in white leads me back to my room.   
What a weird kid.  
He's too nice for this place.

 

 

Caleb's POV:

 

Kaitlynn left me here.  
I can't believe they make her... have sex, with so many different people... against her will.  
I would find it hard to believe that Jeanine is behind this, but she herself asked me if I wanted to participate. And there was no trace of untruth in the poor girl's eyes. 

I want to help her, somehow. But, what can I do?  
I stand, and leave the room, as well, heading back to the main part of the building. 

This place doesn't seem safe, anymore. But, what choice do I have, but to stay?  
I can at least be a friend to Kaitlynn.   
A light, in a dark place.

I need to do some searching; get to the bottom of what is going on here, and why. And, if possible, help the girl escape. 

 

 

Eric's POV:

 

I fucking hate Four.  
I trudge into my apartment, slamming the door behind me, before plopping down on my couch. 

Stormy.

The one thing that I still feel, is her absence; the despair that she is no longer here, with me.  
Gone.  
Dead.  
Because of a Divergent. 

I find my thoughts falling on happy memories together; sweet, safe times we shared with each other.  
The time we had was too short.

I sit up, quickly, when I notice that a single tear has escaped my eye.  
I brush it away with the back of my hand, roughly, and run to my bed, dropping down beside it, and reaching my arm under it.

I find what I was searching for, and place the items on my bed.  
One, is a rectangle box; the necklace I was going to give Stormy, that night.  
The other, a larger, black box. I open the lid, and pull out a vial of the red liquid, and a needle and syringe. I pull my sleeve back, and tie an elastic band around my upper arm, with my teeth, before twisting the needle on to the plastic tube.

I hold the syringe in one hand, and the Red in the other, as I turn the vial upside down, and thrust the sharp point of the needle through the rubber; the only thing keeping the liquid from spilling out onto the floor.   
I pull the plunger back on the syringe, and watch as the red fluid fills the tube.

I see a bubble of air in the tube, so I push the plunger in just a bit, and tap the needle, until the bubble has escaped.  
After taking a deep breath, I tap inside the crease of my arm, exposing a blue vein, before jabbing the needle into myself. 

I push the plunger down, slowly, and growl as I feel the serum enter my bloodstream; burning through my body.

I pull off the tourniquette, and use a cotton ball to press against the injection site, as I remove the needle; preventing my blood, or my medicine, from escaping.

I sigh, deeply, as I lay back on the bed.  
I don't know what I would do without Red.  
Red is my best friend.

 

*****************************************************************************************

 

I wake up the next morning, feeling groggy.  
It's not often that I shoot up more than once a day.  
And, when I do, I pay for it.  
When I don't shoot up... I pay for that, too.

My head is pounding, and my vision pulses with the throbbing in my skull.  
I head down to the cafeteria, grabbing a cup of coffee.  
I seat myself to a table, where no one else is sitting at.  
I like to be alone.

When I've finished my coffee, I head to the Pit, awaiting Four, and the other initiates. Four is the first to enter, and he's making a beeline straight for me.  
"Eric," he says to me, like, whatever.  
"Four," I glare at him, my cold, blue-grey eyes, drilling into his his.  
He offers me a small smile, and that makes me hate him so much more.

"You need to get over yourself, Eric. You've been acting like a dick the entire past year. She's not coming back, ya know?" 

That's it.  
I punch Four, square in the jaw, and he staggers back, clutching the sore area.   
He composes himself quickly, though, as the initiates file into the Pit.  
Well, here goes the first fucking day of training.

 

 

Four's POV:

 

Today could not have gone any worse.  
This is, without a doubt, the least capable batch of transfers that I have seen, in the three years since I transferred here.  
It shouldn't have surprised me that Tris just outright, and for lack of a better word, sucked; but it did.  
I guess I was expecting her to be more like I was, when I transferred. 

She doesn't want to hit anybody.  
She won't make it, if that doesn't change.  
I want to see her make it. 

Well, at least I got a reaction out of Eric.   
He punched me, this morning.  
I was out of line with what I said, and I knew it; I planned on it.  
I don't know what's with him, but I think there's something else going on.

I make my way to his room, and, without knocking, I fling open the door.  
I stare, in shock, at the scene before me.  
Eric is sitting on his bed, with a fucking needle in his arm.  
He's fucking on drugs.

"What the fuck, Four?!" he screams at me, jumping up off the bed.  
"What the fuck, is right," I reply. My heart aches at what he's clearly doing to himself, but I'm angry, too. "Why the fuck are you doing this? Is that-, is that Hyperopium?"   
It is.  
I know it is.  
My mother was addicted to it, before she died at the hands of my father.

Eric fumbles for words a moment. "I-, I don't know! Maybe?"  
"You're shooting up, and you don't even know what it is that you're shooting up?" I yell, in exasperation. "You're fucking killing yourself, man! Why are you fucking doing this? It's not gonna help anything; it just makes it worse."

Eric glares at me, darkly. "Get out of here. Now."  
"Fine," I say, fed up with his bullshit. I turn around, and exit the room, slamming the door behind me.  
This is fucking bullshit.


	3. Chapter Two

Two weeks later

 

Caleb's POV:

I've gone to visit Kaitlynn, everyday, for the last two weeks. From the looks that some of the other initiates give me, they must think I'm actually forcing someone to have sex with me.  
That's okay.  
The only thing that matters, is that Kaitlynn now has a friend here; someone who means her no harm. Someone to talk to.

She has told me a lot, in our short friendship.  
She's been through more than anyone should ever have to go through.  
Her boyfriend had it pretty rough, as well.  
She said he would be angry that she told anyone, but, he's not here, anymore. And he's not the person he once was. 

I can't say I blame the guy, too much; he was in love with Kaitlynn, and he thought she was dead.   
He went crazy from grief.  
I can sympathize.  
Is my Abnegation showing?

I've been doing research on what this whole operation is about, and, for the most part, it's what Kaitlynn described.  
They need someone removed from the face of the earth, so Erudite fakes their death, and places them here, letting them rot away in lonely rooms.  
The only company they receive is, unfortunately, usually sexual, and nonconsensual. 

I've been wandering the halls, as of late, locating where all the security cameras hide, in their corners. Some of them can even be spotted peaking through the vents.  
I don't see how it could be possible to get Kaitlynn out of here.  
I've got to keep searching, though.  
I've got to.

My sister came to see me, today; Tris, as she calls herself, now.   
She's worried that she doesn't belong at Dauntless.   
I told her she has no choice.  
I almost told her about Kaitlynn, and what a monster that Jeanine is.  
I almost asked her about her leader, Eric.

Almost, never did anything.

 

 

Stormy's POV:

 

I'm so tired.  
I really don't want to keep doing this.  
Yes, I have what I would call a friend, now.  
Yes, I'm clothed, and fed.

But, this isn't living.  
This isn't even surviving; I'm not able to fight.  
This is simply existing; I may as well be a ghost.

Caleb is a nice guy, it's the highlight of my day, when he comes to visit me.  
Problem is, I never know which time it's him, or which time it's Marcus, or one of the other perverted men that like to "visit" me.

I know, I said I don't watch the videos anymore.  
But I did, just a few days ago.  
Eric pushed a young girl over the Chasm, and made her hang there for five minutes.  
Why would he do that?  
It just doesn't make any sense.

I don't understand what's happened to him.  
Even if he did think I was dead, why turn into this-, this monster?

I feel like I'm slowly going insane, in this place.   
I wish there was some escape.  
Some way to escape this hell I'm in.  
But, there isn't.  
I'm going to be here, until the day I die.  
Just like I always thought, from the very beginning.

 

 

Jeanine's POV:

 

"Miss Matthews? Eric is here to see you, shall I send him in?" the woman who handles my phone, speaks through the monitor, on my desk, in her nasally voice.  
"Yes, send him up," I say, sighing, in annoyance.

He comes here, every week, on the same day, at the same time.  
He's been asking for more doses, recently.  
I guess I should have seen that coming.  
Hyperopium is highly addictive.

I smirk.  
I did this to him.

There is a soft knock on my door, and then Eric pushes the door open, striding into my office, and taking a seat in the blue chair in front of my desk.   
"Hello, Eric," I drawl, still smirking from my power trip.  
"Jeanine," he says, in a dull voice.   
"What can I do for you, today, hm?" I ask, leaning forward, and resting my chin on my folded hands, placed neatly on my desk.

Eric hesitates, before answering. "140 ML?"  
I gasp.   
He can't be serious.

"140 ML? Eric, you must be joking. That's 20 ML a day! That's four times the amount you're supposed to take!" I raise my voice, in concern; it wouldn't do to have my secret weapon done-in by a drug that can only be obtained by a close connection with Erudite.

"It's been a rough week?" he explains, but it sounds like a question.   
What am I going to do with this boy?

"Alright," I throw my hands up, defeated. I press a button on my personal intercom, and moments later, I hear the familiar buzz, that means I'm connected to Annie.  
"Annie? I need 140 ML, now!" I bark through the receiver.

Eric can't sit still.  
He's twitching, and his leg bounces up, and down, while his hands shake.  
He's a mess.  
Such a beautiful mess; that I have created.

I smirk at him.  
"Eric?"   
He turns to look at me, and still unable to keep still, simply raises an eyebrow, in question.  
"You can't get this for free, forever, you know?" I say, darkly, still smirking.

I see him visibily gulp, and a brief look of panic crosses over his strong features.  
"Uh, yeah, uh-, h-, how much?" he asks, swallowing nervously, again.  
"I don't want your money," I state, honestly. I love watching him squirm under the hold that I have over him.   
He knows; I hold all the power.

"What, uh, w- what do you want?" Eric presses.   
I smirk again, as I stand, and move from behind my desk, placing myself in front of him.   
"Next time, Eric, I want you," I confess. I want to control all of him. Every last inch of him will be mine.

I watch as he fidgets nervously, avoiding my gaze, and he gulps loudly.  
Annie enters, then, with this week's, larger-than-normal, supply. Eric stands quickly, snatching it from the girl, and rushes out the door, without so much as a farewell.

That's okay.  
I smirk.  
He'll be back.  
He always comes back...

 

 

Caleb's POV:

 

I make my way back through the halls; I've just left the main library.  
I walk with my head down, as I mull over my options.  
Honestly, I just don't see any that won't get the two of us killed.  
I'm not watching where I'm going, and all of a sudden, I'm on the floor.

"Watch it, Nose!"  
I look up to see a member of Dauntless, kneeling on the ground, in front of me, picking up several vials of a red liquid off of the floor.   
I reach to help him, but he stops me.  
"I got it," he growls, darkly, looking up at me then, and I see his face, for the first time. 

It's Eric.  
It's Kaitlynn's boyfriend, or whatever.  
It's the Dauntless leader, that she was in love with, that thinks she's dead.

I'm stunned to silence, as the desperate man in front of me, gathers the rest of the vials, shoving them back into the bag they were in, and stands.  
"Watch where you're going, next time," he threatens, and I shrink back in fear, as he continues on his way, out of Erudite headquarters.

 

 

Four's POV:

I saw Eric come in, today, on the monitors. He was carrying a bag.   
I couldn't see what was in there, but I can guess.   
I told myself I was done with his shit, but, damn it; I just can't help myself.

He's not gonna stop, just because I ask him too. If I tell one of the other leaders about it, they're not going to be too happy, though. But, he always has this bag when he comes back from Erudite.  
Jeanine is probably the one supplying him.

I've got some theories about that woman.  
Every two or three days, there have been trucks, and technicians, from Erudite, unloading computers, and pallets, full of an orange-colored serum.   
I don't know what it is, yet, but I know it can't be good.

Tris surprised me, pleasantly.   
For a while, there, I really thought she wasn't cut out for Dauntless.  
But she's improved, more than any of the other initiates; it won't surprise me if she ranks first, or second. 

The initiates start their fear landscapes, tomorrow. I have to see what her deepest, and darkest fears are.   
I'm not looking forward to it, to say the least. 

It's rough, working the night shift in the control room, and then training initiates all day, too.   
Sometimes, I wonder what it would've been like, if I'd transferred to Erudite, or Candor.  
I can't see myself in either of those places. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Eric's apartment door open.   
The Dauntless leader stumbles into view, swaying, and staggering his way out, into the corridor.  
He's got that bag with him.  
What the hell is he doing?

I watch as he heads down the corridor, and, at first, I'm worried he might be headed for the Chasm. But, then, he stays to the left, heading towards the dead end, where he found Amar that night, so long ago.  
I watch in horror, as he throws himself to the ground, and scoots back, leaning against the cold wall.   
I can't let him do this to himself.  
I just can't.

 

 

Eric's POV:

What the fuck?  
Jeanine wants me to have sex with her?  
She's, like, 30 years older than I am!  
I really don't want to do that.

I got an uneasy feeling when she admitted the form of "payment" that she would be willing to accept; similar to the feeling I got, right before... the night, before my choosing ceremony.

Can I willingly do that?  
I can't do that.  
I don't have a choice.  
Do I?

I've just finished injecting the third vial into my arm, and am preparing another, when Four runs up, out of nowhere.  
He grabs the vial in my hand, and the bag, and proceeds to smash them against the rock wall, while I stare in horror.

"What the fuck, man?! What the fuck?!" I scream, dropping to my hands and knees, attempting to lick the red substance from the cold, hard wall.  
"Eric! Stop! Shit," Four yells, pulling me back, and causing my head to slam against the ground, hard.

I see stars.

I start crying.

"What the fuck, Four? You have know idea what I have to do to get more! I will die without it! Do you understand me? I will fucking die!" I scream, as I pound my fists, weakly, against his chest. 

"What?" he asks, slowly.   
Clearly, the fucker didn't hear me the first time.

"I will fucking die!" I spit the words in his face. And his expression is one of shock, and confusion. 

"Wait, how much of this shit have you been taking?" he inquires.

"What, in like a day?" I ask, as he rolls his eyes. I stare at the floor as I answer him, not needing to look at him to see the disappointment cross his features.  
"20," I admit, honestly. Four grabs me by my shirt, forcing me to look at him.  
"20?! 20ML?! Are you fucking serious?" he yells at me, and I look back down.  
That was all he needed.

He lets go of my shirt then, instead grabbing my arm, and dragging me back to my apartment. 

When we get inside the door, he closes it, and locks it behind us.   
"Sit," he says, nodding to the couch. I comply, and he follows suit.  
"Eric," he starts. "Look, I know things have been hard. I know, for whatever reason, you hate me, again. Fuck, I don't hate you, though, man. I fucking care about how you feel, and what happens to you. I don't want you to get hurt."

I snort, then, and laugh darkly.  
His glare could match my own, when I'm rolling, and it shuts me up, instantly.  
Now he's intimidating me?  
What the fuck?

"How did you get started on this shit?" he nags.   
I sigh, and decide to be truthful. Maybe he'll feel sorry for me, and help me get more. Maybe I won't have to do what Jeanine wants me to do.

 

 

Four's POV:

I almost couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. I mean, it made sense. The timeline matches up, the circumstances; everything. 

"So, you went today, to Jeanine, and she gave you 140?" I ask.  
Eric nods, and then his face falls, looking sullen.  
"What's the big deal about the cost? I mean, you make plenty of points," I press further. Something is off, here.

Eric hesitates, glancing at me, and then down at the floor, and there he fixes his stare.   
"She doesn't want money, anymore," he whispers, and I almost didn't hear him.   
"What?" I ask, confused. "What does she want?"

Eric hesitates longer than necesarry, and, now I'm worried.  
"Eric, what does she want?" I ask him, again.  
"She... she wants me to-, ya know..." he mumbles, still staring at the floor.   
"She want you to what? Eric, I can't read your mind."  
"She wants me! Okay, Four? She wants to fuck me! Get it, now, Stiff?!"

I used to flinch at the nickname, but, not anymore.  
That's fucked up.  
He can't do that.  
He wouldn't do that.  
Would he?


	4. Chapter Three

Four's POV:

 

I am fucking depressed.  
Eric has made me fucking depressed.  
Shit, what the fuck is it that makes me feel like this?  
I don't fucking know.

I think the worst part was when, in his desperation, Eric dropped to his hands and knees, to the ground, and attempted to lick up, what he affectionately calls, Red. Or, maybe, the worst part was that he was telling the truth, about how he can die without the drug in his system; he could have a fucking heart attack, or something.

No, I think the worst part, is the fact that I know he will do whatever it takes to get his fix. Unfortunately, for him, that means basically selling his body to a woman old enough to be his mother. 

Jeanine Matthews is one, sick, perverted and twisted woman. 

Eric is barely 18; I mean, fuck.  
There is something seriously wrong with that woman. 

I'm currently sitting on the roof, watching as the Erudite trucks drive in, and out, several more pallets of the orange serum, and several more servers that go to computers. 

I don't know what this all is for, but, I know it can't be good.  
Not with Jeanine Matthews heading up the operation.  
There's no telling what that power-hungry bitch could be capable of.

Tris has joined me.  
She stayed with me, last night.  
I slept on the floor, and I let her take my bed.  
Peter, Al and Drew attacked her last night, after seeing her ranking jump from 22, to 14, placing her above all three of them.  
They tried to throw her over the rail, and into the Chasm.

Luckily, I saw them dragging her off from the control room, so, I was able to intervene, just in time.   
She was shaken up, to say the least.

Peter and Drew's rankings have been dropped, but Peter is still ranked high enough to pass initiation, as long he does well in stage three.   
Drew will be leaving us, for good, no matter what.

Al threw himself over the rail, and into the Chasm.  
We pulled his body out this morning; his corpse blue, and bloated.  
It was sad, and disgusting.

"So, what are we gonna do, now?" Tris asks, softly, standing close by my side.  
God, I wish she were much, much closer.  
"We practice," I tell her.

 

***************************************************************************************

 

We enter one of the fear simulation rooms, and I start the computer up, as I place an electrode to her temple, and one to mine.   
"What are we doing?" Tris asks, curiosity in her voice.  
"We're gonna practice," I reply, as I prepare two needles.   
"In my fear landscape?" she inquires, raising an eyebrow.

"No, in mine," I answer, tapping the needles to make sure there are no air bubbles.   
"You're not afraid of that?" she asks, in confusion. I turn my head to look at her, now. I think back to when I saw Eric do this with Stormy, and there is a sharp pain in my chest, momentarily.

I can do this; I passed all my simulations.  
I can do this.

"No," I tell her, honestly. "Are you?"  
"It's just-, you've barely told me anything about yourself, and now you want to let me inside your head?" I smile at the expression on her face; it's adorable.

I inject myself first, and then Tris, seating myself beside her on the metal chair.   
"Remember, we do everything the way a Dauntless would do it; and we do it as quickly as possible. Be brave." 

I feel as though as I've said the last part more for myself, than for Tris, though.

 

****************************************************************************************

 

Stormy's POV:

 

Caleb came to see me again, today.  
He was quieter than usual.  
Something was up with him; I could tell.

He never did tell me what was bothering him, though.  
Marcus came to "visit" me again, today, too.  
I'm now nursing a bruised cheekbone, and a swollen, and split, lip.

Don't get me started on how sore I am, between my legs.  
A girl can only take so much.

Jeanine left me a note again, on the table.  
But, I can't force myself to watch, anymore.  
Every time I see Eric on the security footage, it gets worse, and he's done something even more horrible, and vile, than the previous.  
I'm not watching.

I think I'm just going to go to sleep...

 

*******************************************************************************************

 

Jeanine's POV:

 

I can't stop myself from grinning, when I see the footage from last night.  
Eric's entire supply was ruined.  
I watched as he got down on his hands and knees, like a dog, and lapped at the red substance on the dirty floor.

He'll be by, today.  
I know he will.  
He has too.

And I won't give it to him, unless he gives it to me.  
I really can't stop smiling.

I hear a knock on the door, and I call out, "Come in!"  
It's Eric; it has to be.  
I'm expecting him.  
It's not Eric.

"Hello Caleb," I greet the Abnegation transfer, in disappointment. "How may I help you, today?"   
Damn.

"Miss Matthews," he nods his head, in formality. "I was just wondering... say, hypothetically, if I were to scratch your back, would you scratch mine?"

I'm taken aback a bit, by his "hypothetical" question. He is Erudite, through and through. How Natalie and Andrew managed to push that one out, is beyond me.

I decide to humor him.

"Hypothetically, that would depend on how deeply you were willing to scratch my back," I reply, grinning at the analogy. "What would you be willing to do for me?"

"Whatever you need me to," he answers, quickly. He must really want me to scratch his back. 

"And what would you have me do for you, in return?" I inquire of him. 

He hesitates a moment.  
"I want Kaitlynn."

There is another knock at the door, and I feel my stomach do a flip.  
Now, I know that is Eric.

"We'll talk in a bit, I have an appointment, right now, alright?" I tell him, and he excuses himself and exits my apartment, bumping shoulders with youngest Dauntless leader on his way out.

"I thought I told you to watch were you're going?" Eric glares down at him, and Caleb's eyes go wide, and he hurries away, muttering apologies.

That's my boy, Eric.

 

***************************************************************************************

 

Eric's POV:

 

I hope she'll take my points; I brought my entire last two weeks salary. I can deal with having to ration myself out, if I need to.

I'm on edge; I haven't had my medicine since yesterday morning, and I'm currently feeling rather ill.

"Eric, what a lovely, unexpected surprise," Jeanine exclaims; she looks too excited to see me. I honestly don't know if this will work.

"Yeah," I begin, as I sit in the blue chair that I have claimed as my own. "I just-, uh... I had a little accident yesterday, and it's all gone." 

"Oh, what a shame!" Jeanine feigns sympathy. I'm starting to see her for the fake that she is. But, if i can just get my Red, then it will all be worth it; I think.

I really don't want to have to do, what she wants me to do... 

"Yeah," I begin again, clearing my throat. "I, uh, I brought two weeks worth of points, and I was won-."

"No, Eric," Jeanine says, firmly. 

Shit.

"But, I really thi-."

"No."

Fuck.

"I think I made myself clear, yesterday, didn't I?" she asks, with a smirk.

I swallow the lump in my throat.

I really don't want to do this.

Fuck.

I don't have a choice.

 

***********************************************************************************

 

Caleb's POV:

 

I shouldn't have waited outside Jeanine's door.   
I heard awful things.  
Kaitlynn's... uh, whatever he was to her, went into Jeanine's office when I left.

She told me she would talk with me about my request.  
So, I just thought I would wait outside the door, and that it would only take a short while.

I heard them talking, and I admit, something about what they were saying didn't feel right, even though they hadn't said anything particularly specific.

But, I could hear Eric pleading, through the door, to let him pay for something with points, and Jeanine refused, explaining that she had already made herself clear about whatever it was he was trying to get. 

The next thing I knew, I heard Jeanine laughing, and what sounded like furniture being slid across the floor.  
And dull, steady thumping sounds.  
And Jeanine moaning.  
And Eric whimpering.

They were having sex in there, I realized.  
Eric didn't want to do it.  
What did she have over his head, to make him to do that?  
He couldn't be much older than me... 

I move away from the door, down the hall a bit, and eventually, the door opens.  
Eric walks out, with his head hung low, and his hands in his pockets, an unreadable expression on his face. 

I stare at him as he walks past me, and Eric doesn't even turn to glare at me.   
I stand to my feet, and call out to him.  
"Hey! Excuse me!" I say, running to tap him on the shoulder.   
He jumps at the contact, and I see that his eyes are red.

Oh, my.  
That's a change.

"The fuck do you want, Nose?" he asks, in apparent annoyance, his voice thick.  
"I just... uh, you're Eric, aren't you?" I inquire, not sure what to say exactly.  
I'm scared.

"And?" he asks, rolling his eyes, and glaring at me.

"I just-, I just thought you were," I say, turning around quickly, and heading back into Jeanine's office. 

 

*********************************************************************************************

 

Eric's POV:

 

Stupid, fucking Nose.  
Some Erudite, the little fucker can't even form a coherant phrase.

No, that was definitely not worth it.  
I think I would have rather died.  
I will not do that again; I can't. 

I hang my head again, in shame, and exit the building with my single 5 ML dose of Hyperopium tucked safely in my pocket.


	5. Chapter Four

Four's POV:

 

I was just exiting the control room, and heading downstairs, towards my apartment, when I saw Eric standing at his door, fumbling with his keys.  
His hands were shaking, and he looked like he might faint.  
I was worried.  
"Eric?" I say, gently, as I approach him. He drops the ring of key cards on the floor, startled at my presence.  
"Four, what the fuck do you want?"  
Shit.  
He's really angry.  
Ah, fuck.  
He didn't...  
I bend down, and grab his keys off the floor, and notice that, not only are his hands shaking, but, his entire body is trembling.   
I slide the correct card in the slot on his door, and hear the lock click, allowing access to his apartment.  
"Eric," I try, again. "We need to talk."  
Eric glares at me then, still trembling. "Well, too fucking bad."  
He walks through the door, and slams the door behind him, and I hear the lock clicking back into place.  
Shit.  
He did.  
I noticed he didn't have his bag, today.  
Did she even give him any of the drug, that he now needs to survive?  
I find that I am extremely angry.  
I've got to do something about Jeanine; for Eric, and for everyone else.  
That woman is out of control. 

 

***************************************************************************************

 

One week later

Tris passed stage three, with flying colors; I knew she would.  
I'm so proud of her.  
Tonight, Dauntless is holding a banquet, in honor of the new members.

The trucks from Erudite have stopped coming, a few days ago, and that worries me.  
If they're not unloading more supplies, then have everything they need, for whatever it is that they're doing.

The question is, what are they doing?

Eric has gone to Erudite, everyday.   
And every time he comes back to Dauntless, he looks worse, and worse for wear, than the day before.  
I don't know what Jeanine is making him do, but, it's taking a toll on the youngest leader of Dauntless. 

 

*****************************************************************************************

 

After the banquet, Max ordered us all to seperate into four lines, and receive a chip. He claimed it was only a tracking device, but I have a feeling that it has something to do with the orange serum, and computers, from Erudite.

 

*****************************************************************************************

 

Eric's POV:

 

I have been waiting for this day since Stormy was murdered, by the Divergent.  
Jeanine notified me, today, that the serum is ready.  
We were to inject every Dauntless with the mind-control serum, with the exception of the leaders.  
Today, I will get some revenge.  
The serum will not work on the Divergent.

Jeanine gave me 40 ML of Hyperopium, today, promising that after we attack Abnegation, she will give me another 60 ML.

She advised me to take all of it; that I will be well taken care of, from now on.

I don't want to agree, but I can't say no, either.

I take all eight injections; one, after the other, until it is all gone.

I see red. 

Today, I get my revenge.

 

****************************************************************************************

 

I stand in the cafeteria, with the rest of the Dauntless leaders, and the sparse few members who were allowed to be free of the serum, specifically for the purpose of keeping an eye on the Dauntless compound, while the rest of our army marches on Abnegation.  
They have been found guilty by Jeanine of harboring fugitives, and Divergents.

Almost everyone in the cafeteria marches slowly, as one unit, picking up their gear, and heading out to wait for the train to arrive.

One unfortunate bastard is wandering around, asking the robotic Dauntless what is going on.

Oh well. 

"Hey," I call out to him, as I walk forward, beckoning him towards me. "Everything's fine." I raise my pistol, and fire a shot, right between his eyes, grinning from ear to ear, as the Divergent drops dead at my feet. 

That felt good.

The blood spilt seems to be enhancing the strength of my medication, as well.

 

****************************************************************************************

 

Stormy's POV:

 

"Kaitlynn!" I hear someone call my name from the other side of the door, which opens just a moment later.   
"Kaitlynn! Come on, we're getting out of here, now! Let's go!" Caleb grabs my arm, pulling me up off the bed, and out of the door.  
I feel fear, like waves, throughout my body.  
"What's going on?" I ask, in confusion.   
"Jeanine's not here; trust me, I can get you out," he explains, as we walk through the corridors, encountering no one.   
This can't be real.  
This must be a dream.  
This is too good to be true.  
Nonetheless, I allow him to pull me through the winding corridors, and down staircases, until we finally make it through the front doors.   
I pause for a moment, to catch my breath.   
"Come on, Kaitlynn! We've got to go, while we can!" Caleb yells, again.   
I run on my own, now, keeping pace right behind him.  
I don't understand what's going on, but I decide not to question it any further at the moment.  
We end up at an old warehouse, there are hundreds of old bolts of fabric lying around, and it is dark inside.   
"Caleb!"   
We both turn, at the same time, and are faced with an older man, the spitting image of Caleb.  
That must be his father.

 

******************************************************************************************

 

Caleb's POV:

 

"Dad!" I exclaim, in relief. We share a quick hug, and I introduce Kaitlynn.  
She shakes his hand, and I can sense her awkwardness.  
I'm not about to tell her how I got her out.

You can't truly win, when you make a deal with the devil.

"Caleb, what are you doing here?"

I turn around, and Kaitlynn gasps, and then whimpers, and I notice Marcus Eaton in the crowd of Abnegation refugees.   
I glare at him, darkly, and I don't answer him.   
Kaitlynn holds onto me, and I let her.  
I'm not letting that sick bastard get anywhere near her.

"Where's mom?" I say, thinly.   
I think everyone in the room can probably sense the tension that now fills the air, but, I can't be bothered to care.  
I'm not here for their comfort.

"She went to find your sister," my dad explains. 

 

*******************************************************************************************

 

Four's POV:

I've never been so scared in my life, but, I have to keep up the act.  
I'm so glad Tris is by my side.

We march on Abnegation, and we hear screams from every direction within the faction.   
"We need to find my parents," Tris whispers, the fear evident in her voice, as she glances around, frantically.   
"Just keep moving, which house is theirs?"  
Tris leads the way, and we search her old house, but there is no one there.  
"Where would they have gone, Tris?" I ask her; we're running out of time.  
"I don't know," she sighs, and I can tell she is worried.   
"It's gonna be okay," I tell her, trying to keep my own voice calm. "Come on, we'll look for them, they can't be too far."  
We exit the plain, cement house, in sync.   
That's when we run into Eric.   
He stands in front of us, blocking our path, and we stop, awaiting orders.  
"Legendary Four," he begins. "Not so great now, huh? You used to be first in your class, and, now..." Eric looks me up and down, before continuing. "Now, you're nothing."  
Eric starts to walk away, and I don't move.  
That was a mistake.  
"What is this shit?" he asks, scrutinizing my face, now.  
Max walks over then, too.  
Shit.  
"Think he might be..." Max trails off, then.  
Eric smirks. "There's one way to find out."  
He pulls his gun up, pointing it between my eyes.   
"Move, and you die!"  
Shit.  
Eric keeps the gun pointed at my head, as he turns to see Tris with her gun trained on him, and Max with his gun trained on her.   
Eric laughs, darkly. "The Stiff?" he nudges the barrel of the gun into my temple. "Two Stiffs. Two dead Stiffs!"   
"Drop the gun, Eric!" Tris screams, cocking her gun.  
Eric chuckles. "You're not gonna shoot me."  
"I think you're underestimating my character," Tris replies, as she aims her gun down to his leg, and fires, a scream escaping his lips, as he falls to the ground.

 

*******************************************************************************************

 

Eric's POV:

Fuck.  
Shit!  
Fuck!

The bitch shot me!

Fucking Divergent whore!

I don't know why I wanted to shoot Four; honestly, I don't know why.

I don't even know why I hate him.

I guess, now I know.

He's Divergent, just like his girlfriend is; just like Amar was.

I vaguely feel myself pulled off to the side of a building, before I faint from the blood loss.

 

*****************************************************************************************

 

Stormy's POV:

 

"Stormy!" I see Chaotic from where I'm currently standing with the Abnegation in Candor headquarters. Caleb left. He left me alone.   
At least Marcus isn't here; that's a blessing, anyway.  
I find myself wondering if I will ever see him again. 

But, right now, there are people surrounding me, some crying, some excited, others, like Chaotic and Rebel and Rowen, just absolutely losing it.

"Oh my God, you were dead! You were dead! How are you not dead?!"

I'm bombarded with questions that I don't want to answer, right now. 

I have a few questions of my own. 

"Where's Eric?"


	6. Chapter Five

Three days later

Caleb's POV:

 

Amity is a nice place, don't get me wrong; but, I find myself wondering about Kaitlynn.   
Is she safe?  
Is she with Eric?

I'm pulled from my thoughts, suddenly, when I hear Tris speak. 

"We have to kill her," she states, plainly.  
Four, who is sitting beside me on the bench, nods his head, and replys, "I know."

"Wait," I begin. "Beatrice, you can't be serious?"  
I have to act like myself, even if I do whole-heartedly agree with my sister.  
I know the things that Jeanine Matthews has done.

"No, I am serious," she retorts. "None of us are safe until she's dead."

How right you are, Sis...

"You can't just go around killing people," I say, pretending to be shocked.

"No, she's right," Peter pipes up, then. He sits across from Tris. "You should listen to your sister." He swallows the food in his mouth, before continuing, this time addressing my sister.   
"You should go to Erudite, and take out Jeanine. Caleb should stay here with me, though. Ya know, so you don't get him killed, too."

There is an uncomfortable silence.

"What did you say?" Beatrice asks, darkly. 

"Ya know, like how you got your parents killed?" Peter says, taking another large bite of his food. 

I saw it coming.

Tris attacks Peter, throwing the table over, and climbing on top of him, holding a butter knife to his throat, as the boy squirms beneath her.   
Four pulls her off of him.

"What do you think you are doing?" Johanna calls, over the disturbed chatter of the peaceful Amity population. "My office; now!"

 

*********************************************************************************************

 

"Did I not make myself clear, as to the terms of your sanctuary here?" Johanna begins, pacing back and forth in front of the window, hands clasped together in front of her.   
"He was-," Beatrice begins to excuse.  
"Did I not make myself clear; yes or no?"

"Johanna, I'm sorry. I can assure you nothing like this will ever happen again."

I gaze out of the window as my sister and her boyfriend try to redeem themselves with Johanna. I can't be bothered to pay attention, as my thoughts drift once again to Kaitlynn. 

I hope she is okay.  
I hope she is with Eric; its what she would have wanted.  
I know she was angry about the things he had done in her absence, but, I knew, if he had the chance to explain himself, she would forgive him.

I look up as a young Amity man runs up the spiral staircase, beckoning for Johanna to come close to him.   
I turn my gaze back to the window, and Four joins me.

Dauntless are here; there large, armored trucks ramming down the fence, and trampling crops, in the process.

"They're here," Four states, lowly, just as Johanna hurries back over to us. 

"Stay here, and keep quiet," she orders, as she heads down to meet our guests. 

 

We huddle down, waiting for something to happen.   
We hear a voice over the intercom, demanding that everyone meet in the dome for mandatory testing. 

 

 

Four's POV:

I peek out the window, watching as Johanna tries to reason with Max and Eric, whose gun shot wound no longer seems to be a problem for him.   
Max turns, heading towards the dome, and Eric pushes past Johanna, entering the building that we are hiding in. I stand quickly, looking around.

"Eric's here," I tell them. "We have to leave."

The others follow me as we creep across the floor, stopping their movements when I throw my hand out and raise a finger to my mouth. 

I see Eric, down below us; it won't be long before he comes up here.  
I hear a horse neigh, and Eric turns to investigate.  
This is our chance. 

We make our way over to the window, and Tris opens it quickly, and silently.   
I turn to Peter.   
"I think we should split up," I tell him. I don't like the guy.   
"Okay, alright, yeah," he shrugs it off, like it's nothing. "Yeah, every man for himself right?"   
I nod, in agreement. 

Something's off.  
Peter hesitates momentarily, before rushing over to the railing overlooking the stable, down below.  
"Eric! Hey, Eric! They're here! They're up here! Hurry!" 

I don't wait to see him coming; I help Tris and Caleb out the window, myself following shortly after, and we jump to the ground, making a break for the tree line, and, hopefully, the train will be going by. 

As we run passed the dome, I see my father get hit with the butt of a rifle, and fall to his knees. I find myself not caring. 

The sound of gunshots, and glass shattering follows us, as we run for our lives.   
There are trucks, and several Dauntless traitors following us, including Eric.   
He's is running like an animal; with an inhuman speed, and agility, through the underbrush of the forest. 

I see the train coming.  
I yell at Tris and Caleb to run, as I turn around, aiming at the trees behind us, providing cover, until I have to reload my weapon. 

"Now!" I scream, and Tris turns around, unloading shells, while I run.  
They have made it to the other side of the tracks, and the train is fast approaching.   
I hope I make it. 

I'm running for my life; pushing myself harder than I ever have, before.  
It's gonna be close.   
I jump, and barely miss getting splattered on the front of the train.

I don't have time to freak out.  
We start running again, beside the train.  
This is the only hope we have of escaping, right now. 

Tris jumps into the car first, and then Caleb, with a little help from his sister.  
I jump in last, leaning against the metal, grated wall, and sliding to the floor, trying to catch my breath. 

 

 

Eric's POV:

Fuck.  
They got away!  
Shit!  
I fire off the remaining rounds in my pistol, at the retreating train, as it makes it way into the city.

Fuck, I was so fucking close.

I feel the blood in my veins, burning, and the adrenaline is pumping through my body at an alarming rate.

I decide to throw a temper tantrum to get rid of some of the excess energy; throwing my weapon to the ground, and screaming in anger.

My phone rings, in my pocket, and I answer it.  
I already know who it is.

"Hello, Eric," Jeanine's sickly sweet voice comes through the phone, with a bit of static. "Have you apprehended the fugitives?"  
"That's a negative," I say with a growl. I know what this means.  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk," Jeanine begins, and I can hear her tapping her fingernails on her desk. "You know what this means, don't you Eric?"

I sigh, in defeat, and despair.   
"Yes, ma'am," I answer, hanging my head.   
"I'm starting to think you don't really need your medicine," she continues. "The way you keep letting these little shits escape you, almost makes me think that you aren't even trying. Do you like the Divergents, Eric?"

"No, ma'am," I say with a snarl.   
"Come back to Erudite, I was prepared for your failure."  
"Yes, ma'am."

 

Stormy's POV:

I don't know if I'll see Eric, ever again.  
Chaotic informed me that she saw Eric get shot.  
He could be dead. 

I don't know what to think about that.   
A girl named Christina, lost her boyfriend, too.  
His name was Will.   
We've been spending a good amount of time together.

Sometimes we talk, but, most of the time, we just in the silence together; grateful for a friend that understands where we're coming from.

She informed me that the leader of Candor, Jack Kang, may hold trials, in the next few days or so, to make sure there are no traitors here, at our safehouse with the honest faction.

I don't know what to think about that.  
I came straight from Erudite.  
Will they make me stand trial?  
What would they make me tell them?

I haven't yet explained to my friends, or anyone else, for that matter, what my time away from Dauntless way like.   
They don't push me to answer.   
They know I didn't leave, willingly. 

I'm just glad not to be at Erudite, anymore.

 

 

Caleb's POV:

There was a scuffle, on the train, heading into the city.   
Until Four spoke up, and gave his name to the factionless-in-charge.  
Tobias Eaton.  
Marcus Eaton's son.

I never believed the rumors, before; but, now, after everything I saw at Erudite, and Marcus' many, many visits to Kaitlynn...  
They said the boy defected because his father abused him; that he killed the boy's mother when he was young. 

As far as the rest of the world was concerned, they were just rumors.  
But, I know better, now.

"My dad died, today," he starts, speaking to Tris. "But, I'm actually happy about it."   
My sister places a hand on his shoulder.   
Sometimes, I think I have a big mouth. 

"I couldn't agree more," I admit, both Four and my sister turning to look at me quizzically.   
After a moments hesitation, Four speaks up.  
"And why is that?" he asks, slowly. 

Uh-oh. 

I hope I haven't blown my cover. As long as they don't know that Jeanine let me leave with Kaitlynn, with a promise to return to her at Erudite, I will be okay. 

I clear my throat a bit, before I answer him.

"I met a girl, at Erudite," I begin, a snarl forming on my lips. "I met her through Marcus, actually. I was exploring the halls, and I saw Marcus, and decided to follow him. We ended up at a dead end, and he ordered the lady to bring the girl out, and he went and waited in a room for her. He raped her; several times a day, every day." 

I growl the last part through gritted teeth, pausing a moment to compose myself before continuing.  
"Her name was Kaitlynn," I say, sighing in sadness. "She told me that Jeanine had faked her death, because she was in the way of someone she wanted to control. And it worked, too, because-."

 

 

Four's POV:

 

Oh my God.  
Stormy is alive. 

She's alive...

"Stop," I say, throwing my hands up, and cutting Caleb off. I need a minute to process this.   
He looks at me in confusion.

"You knew her?" he asks, after several moments of silence. 

"Yeah, yeah I know her," I answer him, taking a deep breath. This is news.  
"Where is she? Is still at Erudite?" I ask him, quickly. I hope the answer is no.

"No, I helped her escape, when I heard what was happening. I left her with the other Abnegation, when we went to rescue you," he answers. 

I breathe a deep sigh of relief.  
She's reachable.  
She'll be okay.

If I can be positive of anything, it's that the Dauntless who remain faithful would've taken all the refugees with them into hiding, wherever that may be.

"We're here!" Drew hollers out, and we jump off the train with the factionless, heading into their hideout.

If only Eric knew... 

 

 

Eric's POV:

I'm never speaking a word to anybody, about what Jeanine makes me do to her... what she does to me.  
She only gave me 5ML this time; my body needs more than that to function properly, at this point.

I take what I can get.

I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding, as I feel the familiar burn of the red liquid seeping into my veins. 

Jeanine said she had a spy, on the inside, running with the Divergent.   
He should be contacting us, any day, now.   
I fidget nervously where I sit, and I stand, making my way down to the training room.

I take my anger and energy out on a punching bag.  
I yell, as I throw punches and kicks, left and right, spending myself to tire.

My phone rings, for the second time today.  
I don't many calls.

It's Jeanine.

"Eric," she begins, and she sounds sympathetic; like I just lost a puppy, or something. "I'm so sorry for your loss." 

My loss?

She clearly hears the question in my silence, because she continues.

"Your father, he passed away, today," she stated, simply. 

"Oh my God," I say, feeling my stomach drop. "What about my mom? How's she taking this? When is the funeral? How did it happen?" The questions roll off my tongue, quickly. 

"Oh," she says, in a tone I can't quite place. "No, Eric, not your adoptive father... your real father."

What?  
What the fuck?

"What are you talking about, Jeanine?" I demand, as I feel the blood begin to boil in my veins.   
I can almost hear her smirk.  
"They never told you? Chris and Karen adopted you, when you were an infant," she explains, and I know my face is turning red. "Your real father was the leader of Abnegation, Marcus Eaton."

What.  
The.  
Fuck...


	7. Chapter Six

**Four's POV:**

I sit at the end of the table, across from my mother.

This is the last place I wanted to come.

But, there's a chance that she might know where the rest of the Dauntless are hiding.

"So, you just left him there, with Marcus?" Tris is angry, and rightfully so.

I'm angry, too.

"You don't understand," Evelyn tries to explain herself. "Marcus was very... abusive. I knew the only way to truly escape him, would to disappear, completely."

I will not call this woman, Mother.

"I reached out to Tobias about a year ago-."

I cut her off; slamming my fist down on the table.

"Don't you call me that! My name's Four," I glare at her casual use of my old name.

"Tobias, I have something I need to tell you," she smiles at me, sadly. "You wouldn't remember, because you were so young, but you are not my only child."

What?

"Explain," I say, crossing my arms, staring the woman in front of me, down.

"You had a brother," she begins. "Your father didn't know; you were twins. We weren't expecting twins."

  
She smiles, sadly, at the memory.

"Natalie Prior had already taken you out to your father, there would be no denying that you existed. But, your younger brother... I had Natalie hide him; she took him to Erudite, and gave him to a couple that couldn't conceive. Jeanine made all the arrangements," Evelyn finishes with that.

"What am I supposed to do with this information?" I inquire; I'm shocked, to say the least. But, I kind of understand. I'm glad my mystery sibling didn't have to go through what I went through, growing up.

"You need to find him, son," she answers, gazing at me, in remorse. "You need to find him; make sure he is safe. I haven't seen him since he was an infant."

"How am I supposed to find him? I have no idea what he looks like," I say, frustrated at this new information.

This week just keeps getting better, and better.

"He was placed with Chris and Karen Courtney, at Erudite."

Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me.

I stand up then, rushing up the stairs to the loft that my "Mother" provided for us, until we leave for Candor, tomorrow.

　

　

　

　

**Caleb's POV:**

"Am I missing something, here?" I ask, awkwardly. My sister raced after Four, leaving me alone with Evelyn.

"He's not had an easy life," the leader of the Factionless explains.

"Not a day goes by, that I don't regret many of the decisions that I've made. None, moreso, than leaving Tobias with that monster, all alone," she sighs, dejectedly, and a watch a tear escape her eye.

"You can't change the past," I tell her, truthfully. "What matters, is that you are trying to make things different, now. He'll come around."

Is my Abnegation showing?

　

******************************************************************************************

The next day, we exit the Factionless hideout, heading towards Candor.

I don't want to do this, but, I don't have a choice.

"Hey, uh, Tris?" I begin, halting in my tracks. They turn to look back at me.

"I-, I'm not going with you guys..."

It hurts to do this, down in the pit of my stomach, and it stabs like a knife to the heart.

"What? Where are you going to go?" my sister demands, as Four just stands back, watching.

"I don't know, maybe I can go back to Abnegation, at least I could be useful, there," I try to play it off, but it's not working so great.

"Caleb," Tris says softly. "There's nothing left at Abnegation..."

I look down, thinking of what to say next, to get out of the truth.

"Look, I'll be okay. I'll figure it out. All I know, is that your plan is currently to go meet the other Dauntless at Candor, and then what? Attack Erudite? I'm sorry, but, I'm just not cut out for that."

And with that, I turn on my heel, and leave.

I head towards Erudite headquarters.

I really don't want to do this...

　

　

　

　

　

**Stormy's POV:**

There's a loud commotion, just outside on the steps of the Merciless Mart.

Apparently, we've got some new recruits.

I don't go to see who it is; it's nobody I care about it.

Christina leaves my side in an instant, jumping up and running to hug a girl with boyishly short hair.

"Tris! Oh my God! I'm so glad you're okay!" she squeals, hugging her friend, tightly.

I look down at my hands, lying limply on my lap. I'm still wearing the white dress that I wore at Erudite.

I really want something different to wear.

I think I'm gonna ask Christina if I can borrow some clothes; I know she said she used to live her, so she's probably got all of her old stuff here, somewhere.

"Stormy? Stormy!"

I turn around at the familiar voice.

It's Four.

"Four!" I screech, jumping up and running to him.

I didn't expect to break down.

"Hey," he coos, petting my hair as I sob into his shoulder. "Hey, you're okay, now, alright?"

I don't feel okay.

I'm not at Erudite, anymore, but I still lack the one person that I need; my Eric.

My Eric is gone, and he's probably never coming back.

"Eric is gonna be so glad to hear your alive," he says, as we sit down on the bench, as I wipe tears away with my sleeve.

"No, he's not," I say, in despair. "My Eric is gone... The man that exists in his body... that's not my Eric."

"Stormy, I need to explain a lot to you, and it's gonna take some time, but I need you to listen, okay?"

"Okay."

　

******************************************************************************************

　

Oh my God.

This is all so awful.

"And so, now, Eric is taking so much Hyperopium that if he quits cold turkey, he'll die from the withdrawals. And Jeanine makes him... uh, she quit giving it to him for free."

I raise my eyebrow at that.

What is that supposed to mean?

  
Four sighs, clearly he doesn't want to be the one to tell me this.

"Jeanine has been forcing him to have sex with her in exchange for the serum that he needs to live."

What?

No...

I start crying again.

"This drug, it turns him into something he's not; that's not Eric, but we can get him back."

I shake my head, sadly.

"No, Jack Kang is going to hold trials. They'll find him guilty of treason, and murder," I explain, defeated.

"No, no they won't," Four says, determinedly. "I've got an idea. We'll get them to use the Truth Serum on him. They'll see that he didn't want any of this; that he couldn't control what he was doing. That it was really Jeanine who was controlling him, and coercing him."

I've never heard of a Truth Serum...

"What's it like? The Truth Serum, I mean," I ask, curiously.

Christina walks up then, and answers for Four.

"It's like torture, if you try to lie, but the Serum won't let you speak a lie. Only the truth can escape from your lips. It has saved many lives, and destroyed many lives. But, if Eric is really innocent, then it's worth it," she says, quietly. "I would've been the first one to condemn him, if I hadn't overheard you guys. He hung me over the Chasm for five minutes, just to prove that Dauntless don't give up."

　

　

　

　

　

**Caleb's POV:**

"Ah, Caleb! How wonderful it is to see you!" Jeanine greets, as I walk into her office. I see Eric passed out in the far corner of the room, surrounded by needles, and empty, glass vials. I try not to think about what that is about.

"Likewise," I lie.

"Have you found out where the Dauntless are hiding?" she asks, clearly in anticipation.

  
"Yeah, yeah, there at Candor."

This is me, selling my soul, to the devil.

　

　

　

　

　

　

***************************************************************************************

　

_Later that evening_

**Eric's POV:**

　

My head hurts.

I'm so fucking high.

I hate it.

I hate what Jeanine has done to me.

We are on our way to Candor headquarters, where the Dauntless are hiding.

I used to be one of them.

The Merciless Mart is quiet; most people must be asleep, at this hour.

The spec ops teams enter the building, first.

I hear screams, and then silence, as the neuro sim disks hit their marks, causing everyone to sleep.

Everyone except Divergents.

I head into the building, stepping over several black and white clad sleeping bodies. I hear running, just ahead, and I go to investigate.

It's the Stiff, Tris.

And Uriah... Uriah is Divergent.

Oh well.

"I am so happy to see you," I say, aiming my gun at the unarmed girl in front of me, and grinning madly. "Move."

  
I wave my gun, motioning for her to walk ahead of me, as guards flank my sides.

The next thing I know, I've slammed into from the side, and knocked to the floor.

When I sit up, there are several guns trained on me.

Four.

My brother.

I can't be bothered to care, right now.

"Good thing you've got that gun, Four. We both know you were never anything without one," I taunt him, with a lie. We both know he beat my ass, on several occasions.

He turns to look at Tris, and the girl looks scared.

Four smiles at her, and hands his gun to a heavily tattooed man on his right.

I take the opportunity, and lunge at him, the drug in my system making me sloppy. Four grabs me, and slams my head into the giant, marble column in the hall, before grabbing my ankle, and dragging me into the foyer.

I'm sat up on my knees, and my hands are cuffed behind my back.

"You're responsible for the murder of hundreds of innocent people; you know the punishment for that?"

He's reading my crimes.

I'm going to be executed.

Good.

"Do it," I tell him, darkly; quietly. "Pull the trigger. End all of this shit for me, so I can't hurt anybody else."

He hesitates, and it makes me angry.

People are starting to awaken, and are filing in to watch the scene.

"Fucking do it!" I scream at him. "Fucking kill me, already! I want you to! I don't want to do this shit anymore..."

I find myself sobbing on the last bit; it's the truth.

I don't want to do this anymore.

I don't want anymore Hyperopium.

I don't want anymore Jeanine.

I want it to be over.

Four stares at me, like he's about to cry.

And, what the fuck, I aimed my gun at his head only days ago.

"Come on, man. That Abnegation in you, that selflessness? Use it to end me, please?" I'm begging him, now; pleading with him to end my miserable existance.

"I can't," he says, shaking his head, slowly. "I can't do it."

"Why not? I want you to," I plead.

"Several reasons," he explains, lowering his weapon. "Get up, we're taking you to a holding cell, until your trial."

Trial?

Dauntless don't do trials for the obviously-guilty...

I stand to my feet, nonetheless.

I don't worry about it, too much.

I'll die in a few days, anyway.

I don't have any Hyperopium, and I have no way of getting it, here.

Four holds my arm, as he leads out into the hallway, passed several people who, clearly, just woke up.

I feel their stares, as Four leads through the masses.

"Eric?"

I halt in my tracks.

That- that can't be...

There's no way.

I turn around, slowly.


	8. Chapter Seven

Eric's POV:

I'm seeing shit, now.  
Stormy is fucking dead; I watched her burn alive.

I shake my head attempting to clear it, as I turn around and try to continue on down the hallway.  
But Four doesn't budge, so, I'm not able to move forward.

"What the fuck are you doing? Let's go, let's get this over with," I say quietly. "I'm seeing shit, now, man. I think I took too much, seriously, I feel weird."  
It's not an exageration; I seriously feel ill.  
And I'm hallucinating on top of everything else.

Four turns, and looks in the direction of my hallucination.

That's weird.

"Eric," she says, again. She sounds hurt, but, I know better than to believe that she is real; it will just make everything that much more difficult.

"You're not real," I tell the ghost of the girl I loved. "Go away, and leave me to my vices." I turn my face away from her again.

I notice everyone in the crowded hall, staring at me.  
I can't blame them.  
I'm talking to shit that isn't there.

"Eric," Four addresses me this time. "It's okay. It's really her. She's alive, okay? That's your Stormy."  
I don't believe him; he is just mocking me. The ghost girl from my past approaches me, tentatively, reaching her arm towards me.

I feel like I'm having a bit of trouble breathing.

She touches me then.

She is real.  
She is alive.  
My Stormy is alive...

I lean into her touch, momentarily, as I gaze into her eyes, but then I pull away, quickly.

"Go away," I say, darkly. "I'm no good, Stormy."  
"But, Eric-," she tries to reason with me, but I won't be reasoned with.  
"No, just-, just go, before I hurt you, too," I say, dejectedly.

Four doesn't seem to want to move again, but since he has a weaker hold on me now, I pull away from him, moving forward by my own means.

"Come on, Four," I call over my shoulder. "I don't know where the fuck you were taking me, but take me there, now."  
Four runs to catch up with me, grabbing a hold on my arm again, as we move away from Stormy.

I don't deserve her.  
I deserve to die.  
I want her, so badly; but, I'm like a cancer.

I take everybody else down with me.

Stormy's POV:

I'm left standing in the middle of the crowded hallway, with tears in my eyes, as I watch Eric retreat.  
This didn't go at all how I had expected it to.

I don't really know what I was expecting, exactly; but, I didn't expect him to tell me to go away.

That hurt.

That hurt so fucking much.

I look down at the little silver disk implanted in my skin.  
It pulses a glowing, electric blue.

I wonder why I didn't fall asleep, like everyone else?

Caleb's POV:

I watch as Jeanine paces back and forth, in front of her desk.  
She seems to do that, often.

The team she sent in to Candor didn't make it out, they were all killed in action, or captured.

She's currently worried about her "boy toy"; Eric. We haven't heard if he was among the deceased, or the prisoners.

"If he's still alive, he won't last more than a couple of days!" Jeanine cries out, suddenly, wringing her hands. "He needs me! He needs his medicine!"

The woman is completely insane.

"You," she stops pacing, suddenly, making a beeline straight for me.  
I shrink back as she leans into my personal space, studying my face.  
I gulp loudly, as she does so, and, I know that she senses my fear.

"I need you to do a very big favor for me, when the time is right," she smiles at me, now.

This can't be good...

Four's POV:

Eric is my brother. How do I bring that up?  
It seems unimportant at the moment, though.

I walk into the cell with him, and uncuff his hands; a guard stands just outside the door, just in case.  
Eric doesn't look at me, he sits down on the floor, roughly, and stares at his feet. He has beads of sweat rolling down his face, and he has gone pale.

"How much have you taken, today?" I ask him, straight forward. He mumbles something, under his breath.  
"What was that?" I ask him, again.  
"Like, 5ML this morning, and 45ML just before we got on the train," he says, still quietly, but a bit louder than before.

I'm shocked at his admission.

"Eric, what the fuck? That's a ten-day supply!" I exclaim, in horror. No wonder he looks the way he does; he looks like a dead man, walking.

"I was trying to overdose," he shrugs his shoulders slightly, and I see him wince in pain as he clutches his chest, where his heart is.

"Dude, let me see," I say, softly. When he doesn't move, I decide to take matters into my own hands.  
I feel weird doing it, but, I pull Eric's shirt up.

I gasp at what I see.

There's a dark, purple bruise where his heart is, just above his scar, and thin black tendrils surround it. He's got fucking black veins around his heart. And they're moving; they are expanding, reaching out and corrupting other veins.

His breath becomes quick, and shallow, and the little color he has left, drains from his face.

Fuck.

I don't know what the hell is going on, but this is not good.

"Ah, fuck," he wheezes, head lolling to the side. I scream at the guard for medical attention, and he rushes off, immediately.

"Eric?" I say, as my brother's eyes begin to flutter closed. "Eric? Fucking stay awake, man. Please. Fuck. Shit!"  
I pat his face with my hand, but his eyes have closed, now, and my efforts to wake him up are futile.  
"Fuck! Eric! Wake the fuck up!"

I stand again, and throw open the door, just as a medical team arrives.

They place Eric on the gurney, cutting his shirt off as they wheel him down the hall.

Fuck.

Stormy's POV:

I'm sitting on my bench, again, having a quiet conversation with Christina, when I see him. A group of people in white scrubs run passed us, pushing a gurney, with none other than Eric as the patient.

"Oh my God!" I exclaim, jumping up, at the same time as Christina does. We follow them down the hall, all the way to an operating room in the medical wing. They don't bother closing the door; apparently, they're running out of time.

I watch, in horror, as they hook Eric to life support machines, and oxygen.

One of the doctors starts an I.V., and another leans over Eric with a needle the size of a turkey baster.

What are they doing with that?

I cling onto Christina, and barely stifle a scream, as the man stabs it into Eric's heart. Blood, tinged with a black substance, seeps through the plastic tube attached to the end of the needle, slowly filling up a see-through bag.

I can't believe that is coming out of Eric. What is that?

Why is this happening?

Four's POV:

I rush down to the operating room, after notifying the leader of Candor of what has happened. Stormy and Christina stare through the open door, watching the surgery.

"Stormy," I vie for her attention. "You don't need to see this."

She glares at me. "Yes, I do."

I sigh, and move to stand on her other side, slowly rubbing her shoulder. This is hard to watch. He didn't just try to overdose; he succeeded. Now, it's just a waiting game, to see if he'll make it.

I wish I'd told him.

I may never get the chance to, now.

16 hours later

Eric's POV:

What happened?

Where am I?

Ow.

It hurts to breathe.

I slowly open my eyes, to find that I'm in a dimly lit hospital room. I attempt to sit up, but a sharp pain in my chest changes my mind, and I give up that idea instantly. There's a large bandage over my heart.

Why does it seem like I never have a shirt on when I'm in hospital?

I hear a snore to my right, and I look that direction to see Four, sitting in a glass-backed chair, asleep.

My brother.  
How do I bring that conversation up?

Somehow, it doesn't seem important, right now.

He must feel my gaze, because he stirs, and sits up straight, before sliding his chair next to my bed. I vaguely noticed that my left wrist is cuffed to the rail on the bed.

"Hey," he says, slowly. "How are you feeling?"

I start to laugh, but wince at the pain that it causes me, and lean my head back against the pillow.

"Like shit," I reply.

"So, you should be pleased to know that they're postponing your trial until tomorrow, and most of the Hyperopium in your system has been drained out. Your I.V," he points it out to me. "That's regular opium, small amounts, just enough to keep you from going into withdrawals." I stare at the little bag.

Can it really be this easy?

"Trial?" I inquire, nervously. I won't survive a trial at the Council. They'll sentence me to death for crimes against the people. Whether I wanted to commit them, or not.

"Yeah, your trial," Four replies, nodding his head a bit. "Don't stress about it, too much. I've pulled some strings, and they're gonna make a special exception for you."

What is that supposed to mean?

I raise my eyebrow, in question.

"They're gonna put you under the Truth Serum," he enlightens me.

Shit.

Stormy's POV:

I make my way through the corridors leading to Eric's room. I know he said he doesn't want to see me. I don't care. Four is just leaving when I push the door open, and I see Eric, lying in bed.

He stares at me, for a moment, before looking up at the ceiling.

Fuck that.

Four offers me a small smile as he closes the door behind himself, leaving me alone with Eric. I go to stand by his bedside, attempting to catch his eye again; he is purposely ignoring me.

"Eric?" I say, gently. "Eric, please, look at me."

I'm pleading with him, but he doesn't shift his stare from the ceiling.

I decide to sit down, and talk with him, anyway. He has nothing to do but listen, and, maybe he'll decide to converse with me, in the process.

"Ya know, last year, I dressed up like you asked me to," I begin, racking my brain for the memory. "I must've gone through ten outfits before I decided on one; I was running so late." I laugh a bit, remembering the nerves I'd had that evening.

"There was knock on the door," I continue. "And, I thought it was you. I thought you might be angry that I was taking so long. But, it was Amar. Something was off about him; he acted like he wasn't even there... He stabbed a needle with some blue liquid into my neck, and when I woke up, I was at Erudite."

"Erudite?" Eric asks, then, quietly. He's caught my gaze, now.

Good.

"Yeah," I say, sadly. "I was in this room, by myself. And Jeanine had a screen in the wall; she would leave me notes whenever there was footage of you, that she wanted me to see."

I see Eric gulp, visibly. Guess I struck a chord, there.

"I didn't know what it was the first time, I just turned on the power, and the feed was you running into my burning apartment... And then, the next one, was after my funeral, and you-, you were..." I feel a few tears slip out of eyes, and I attempt to brush them away, quickly, before continuing.

"I don't know if you realized there was a camera pointed right at you, but, it felt as though you were staring into my eyes, when you said all that. When you told me that you loved me. And, then, I just lost it when you... when you cut yourself up. For the first three months, I didn't know if you were alive, or dead. And then she had a note waiting for me, again. I watched a few videos after that, before I stopped watching them... I just couldn't..."

I stumble over my words; this is not how this was supposed to go.

"Jeanine would visit me, sometimes," I say, quietly. "But, it was just to mock me... Mostly, the only company I had, was-, I mean-, sometimes there were others, but, mostly it was Marcus. He made me do awful things... He did awful things to me..."

I can't stop the tears, now. And I can't bring myself to look at Eric, either. He must think I'm disgusting.

I lay my head over on the side of his bed, as I cry, as quietly as possible. I feel a hand in my hair, twirling, and petting my blonde locks. I turn to look up at him, and he is staring at me, with a sorrowful expression on his face.

"I'm so sorry, Stormy," he whispers, a single tear escaping his own eye. "I'm so fucking sorry."  
"I'm sorry, too," I whisper, attempting a small smile. I'm glad he's talking to me, now. I need him.

"Don't be," he tells me. "You don't know the things I've done... I don't deserve an apology. You've done nothing. I'm a terrible person."

"Eric, no you are not," I tell him, gently, urging him to believe it.

"Yes, I am," he insists. "If I tell you a third of the things that I've done in your absense, you wouldn't want to see me. You would run away, screaming..."

"I have a feeling you might learn a thing or two, yourself, tomorrow," I tell him. "At the trial."  
He sighs, deeply, blinking his eyes slowly, and I smile a bit.

"Go to sleep, Eric," I whisper. "I'll be here when you wake up."


	9. Chapter Eight

**Four's POV:**

 

I awaken earlier than usual; I need to help Eric get downstairs, and try to prepare him for what he's about to go through.  
I sigh, deeply, as I think back to yesterday.

Eric came out of the surgery, and had been stable for about 30 minutes, when Tris said we had to go.  
They did our trials, yesterday, and they used the Truth Serum on us. 

Tris is upset; she had to admit to being Divergent, and she had to confess, in front of her best friend, that she was the one who killed Will.  
I know it wasn't Tris' fault; it couldn't be avoided.  
Christina isn't speaking to Tris, right now. 

I enter Eric's room, and see that Stormy is just waking up; sitting up, and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.  
She notices me then, and I smile a little bit, as I walk to uncuff Eric from the bed. 

"Eric? Hey, Eric, wake up," I speak, barely above a whisper. He stirs a bit, before opening his eyes; blinking in the bright light of morning. 

He groans, as he sits up, wincing, and holding his hand over his heart.  
"Fuck," he says, shaking his head. "I'm not ready for this."  
He looks at me, sadly.  
"What do I have to tell them?" he asks, quietly, as Stormy helps to pull a white t-shirt over his head. 

"Whatever they ask," I tell him honestly. "You won't have a choice; you can try to fight it, but, eventually, you'll break. It's the truth, forced from your lips."

"Shit," he says, groaning again, as he pulls a tight pair of black jeans over his muscular legs. 

After he's adorned his black combat boots, I cuff his wrists together, in front of him, this time, instead of behind. I'm surprised when Eric doesn't protest; but, hopefully he'll come of there without the metal bindings. 

We make our way down the hall, as a unit; Stormy on his left side, Eric in the middle, and me to his right. We step onto an elevator, at the end of the hall, and I push the button for the bottom floor. 

It's a short ride; short, and bumpy. Eric looks frantically around the small box that we are in, and I get the feeling that he's not too fond of elevators. 

The doors open, when we arrive at our destination, and we step out, Eric swallowing nervously. 

There is only a short walk down the hall, before the room opens, and we are in something like an arena. All of Candor is here. All of the Dauntless that sought refuge here, are present, even Tris and Christina, though, they stand far apart from each other. 

"Four," I smile as Jack Kang approaches me, and I respond in kind. "I will take it from here," he informs me, and I look to Eric to see the panic in his eyes. 

"It's okay, bro," I tell him, dropping a crumb of a hint. "You don't have any secrets worth dying for." 

The look he graces me with, suggests otherwise.  
Oh, well.  
It's too late, now.

**Eric's POV:**

I try to even my breathing out, as I watch Four go to stand with the rest of the Dauntless. Stormy leans up to kiss me, lightly, on the cheek before joining him.  
I breathe deeply, as the leader of Candor leads me to the middle of the room, making me stand between large sheets of glass. There are three, that reach up towards the ceiling, and there are large gaps between them. 

I am so nervous. 

I swallow thickly, as Jack Kang approaches me with a needle, looking away as he holds it up to my neck, pressing the plunger in. 

"May the truth set you free," Jack tells me, quietly. 

Whoa.

Fuck. 

I find myself trembling; my entire body almost vibrating, and my teeth chatter, as I feel a scorching heat, behind my eyes. My eyes begin to water, as Jack Kang stands in front of me, and I steal a glance over to Stormy, and my brother, and they look nervous for me. 

I find myself breathing heavily, as my heart begins to race. 

"What is your name?" 

"Jai Eric Courtney," I answer, shocked at how the words just fall, loosely, from my lips. I've only ever told two people my real name, and now, everyone in this room knows. 

"What is your age?" 

"I'm 18." 

"What was your aptitude test result?" 

Why the fuck do they want to know this stuff? 

When I hesitate, momentarily, I feel the scorching behind my eyes spread to my temples. 

"Erudite," I tell him, through clenched teeth. 

"Erudite?" he repeats. "For what reason did you choose Dauntless, then?" 

No.

Fuck no. 

"I-," I open my mouth to speak, but I find that I can't. The fire spreads down to my shoulders, and I feel the muscles there tense up. I growl, in frustration. Let me try a different approach. 

"I don't want to tell you," it is a struggle to even get that to come out, because I haven't answered his question. 

"It's non-negotiable Mr. Courtney, the pain will only get worse, if you resist," Jack Kang says, with a stern look on his face. "For what reason did you choose Dauntless, if you received an Erudite test result?" 

I take a deep breath, as I glance at Stormy; she's afraid for me. 

"I didn't plan on choosing Dauntless," I begin, unable to stop the words from leaving my mouth. My eyes widen, as I realize, it's not up to me. The serum is spitting the truth from my mouth. 

"I had planned on choosing Erudite," I admit. This isn't fair. This has nothing to do with anything. But, they don't know that. 

"Why did you choose Dauntless, then?" Jack asks, again. Seeming to grow impatient. 

I growl, and clench my teeth, but, I'm not strong enough to fight this. 

"I was attacked," I bite my lip, not wanting to continue. "I was raped, and beaten, by three factionless men, the night before the choosing ceremony. And I decided that I was going to choose Dauntless, because I never wanted to be so helpless again." The words have spilled from my mouth, and I was powerless to stop them. 

My eyes have gone wide, in fear, and anger. That was fucking private.  
I can't bring myself to look at Stormy, or Four, so I set my eyes on Jack Kang. 

"Oh," he says, quietly. "I see. I'm sorry. I had to make sure you weren't planted at Dauntless for Jeanine's purposes." 

I nod, and look down at my feet; I feel like a coward. I could die from the embarrassment. 

"The medical staff has informed me, that, upon your admission into the medical facility, there were large amounts of Hyperopium in your system. When, and why, did you start using it?"

"It was right after Stormy died, but she's not dead, anymore. I woke up from a coma and Jeanine was there-." 

"Why were you in a coma?"

"I tried to kill myself. So, I woke up from the coma, and Jeanine was there, and she brought a nurse, named Annie, and she shot me up the first time. I didn't even know what it was, until recently. All I knew, was I couldn't fucking live without it. I hit withdrawals two days after Jeanine stopped sending Annie, so I went to Erudite, for help." 

"Jeanine forced you to an addiction of Hyperopium?"

"Yeah, she did. I didn't know what it was, I just knew I needed it."

"She gave it to you, for free?" 

"At first."

"How much were you taking, on average?"

"20ML a day."

"And you make enough points to support your habit?" 

"No." 

"How did you pay for the Hyperopium, then?" 

Aw, shit.

"Jeanine, she-," I grit my teeth. I don't want anyone to know I stooped that low. I don't want anybody to know just how desperate I was, to get my fix. 

"Jeanine, what?"

"She made me fuck her, okay? Don't ask me why; I don't fucking know. All I know, is she fucking refused my money; she said she wanted to control me. She made me fuck her, in her office, in exchange for the serum I needed to live." 

Fuck.

Jack's eyebrows knit together, and he blinked rapidly, clearly confused. 

"Have you ever blacked out, for days at a time? While on the Hyperopium?"

"Yes." 

"And when you would come to, what would you be doing?" 

"The last time, I was Erudite, just a few days ago, and I had a bullet in my leg." 

"And you don't know how you were injured?"

"No."

"Does your consciousness seem to drift in, and out? Like you're sleeping, and your dreams keep changing?" 

"Yes." 

"I guess a lot of the past couple of years has felt rather surreal, then?"

"Yes." 

"Mr. Courtney, do you believe, that if you hadn't been under the influence of Hyperopium, you wouldn't have done any of the crimes you've committed?"

"Yes, I believe that," I tell him, honestly. I still breathe heavily, and I feel the sweat dripping down my neck; I don't feel well. 

"Do you plan to continue taking the Hyperopium?" 

"Not a chance." 

"Thank you, for your Candor."  
"Thank you, for your Candor," the audience repeats, as one. 

I feel the Truth Serum releasing its hold on me, and I lean over, panting, as Four and Stormy rush to help me. 

I feel like I might faint.  
I don-...

**Four's POV:**

"Eric?!" Stormy screams, as Eric drops to the floor, convulsing. He's having a seizure. He's having withdrawals. 

"Shit!" I exclaim, attempting to hold him still, as his body arches up, off the floor, spasming. It doesn't last long, about 45 seconds, and then his body goes limp, as blood begins to drip from his nose, and his ears. 

"Four, what's happening to him?" Tris has come up beside me, worry etched on her pretty, soft features. 

"He's in withdrawals," I explain. "He needs opium, to live. We need to get him back to the medical facility." 

Eric begins to cough, as his eyes shoot open. "Four, what's wrong with me? Am I dying?" he asks, weakly.  
"No, we're gonna get you some help, we just need to get you back to the hospital," I tell him. I help him stand, and throw one of his arms over my shoulder, and Tris takes the other side, as we help him walk to the elevator.  
He drops to floor, panting, and breathing heavily; hyperventilating. 

"Four," he says, looking at me with big eyes. "In case I die, I need to tell you something."  
"Shoot," I say, as he coughs, and sputters, blood dripping from his lips, now.  
"I never hated you, man," he says, and I smile a bit. 

"I love you too, brother," I tell him. 

"I know," he says, attempting a chuckle, as he struggles for breath. "Brother."

**Caleb's POV:**

I'm almost there.  
Jeanine is sending me back to Factionless headquarters. 

She sent me with bag full of Hyperopium; I'm supposed to wait there, for Eric.  
I'm not happy about this, but, Jeanine says he'll die without it.  
I guess I'll be seeing my sister again, soon, too.  
Maybe Kaitlynn will be there.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Evelyn's POV:**

 

I find myself fidgeting, nervously, as I sit in my antique, wooden chair. I cross my legs, and uncross them. I twirl pieces of brown hair between my fingers, as I shake my foot in anxiety.   
I let out a deep breath. 

Four said he would find his brother; but, I haven't heard any word, yet. I'm debating whether or not to send Drew, and a small team, to check up on his progress. 

But, that could be a suicide mission, waiting to happen.

We heard that there was an attack on Candor, two days ago, by the Dauntless who have pledged their loyalty to Erudite. We'll all be safer when Jeanine is gone. I don't know why I ever trusted her, in the first place.

I was young, barely 16, when I gave birth to my children. I have so many regrets; I've made so many bad decisions. 

"Ma'am?"

I snap out of my reverie, as Drew calls my attention to himself.

"Have you heard anything?" I ask, nervously chewing the inside of my cheek. 

"No, ma'am," he replies. "But, there's somebody to see you."

Drew steps aside, and Tris' brother, Caleb enters my office.

"Mz. Eaton," he inclines his head towards me, in greeting.   
I smirk.  
"It's just Evelyn," I inform him, standing up, and crossing the room to shake his hand. He takes the offered hand, and then slides into the chair that I gesture for him to take, as I scoot down into my seat, once again. 

"To what, do I owe the pleasure?" I inquire of him. He looks nervous; not very Erudite, at all.  
"I just-," he begins, looking down. "I need a place to stay. I tried to go back to Abnegation, but, my sister was right; there's nothing left at Abnegation."   
He sighs deeply, then. 

"Well, of course, you're welcome to stay here," I offer, smiling softly at the young boy. "I'm actually expecting your sister, and the rest of the Dauntless, to arrive any day, now. She'll be glad to know you are safe, and sound. Come, let me show you where you'll be staying."

I stand, and exit my home; the home that I built from scraps, and driftwood.  
Caleb follows behind me, staying close, as I lead him up several flights of stairs, to a single, unused cubby.  
It's basically just a concrete block. 

It can be comfortable, though.   
You get used to it.

  


**Stormy's POV:**

"Hey," Tris seats herself beside me, in a chair, just outside of Eric's room.   
"Hey," I reply, swaying side, to side, a bit, in anxiety. Eric had to spill his darkest secrets in front of the entire Candor faction, and, most of Dauntless, as well.   
I'm worried about how he will handle that. 

Right now, though, I am mostly worried about his withdrawals. I was terrified, when he fell to the floor, his body twisting, and contorting at odd angles.   
I didn't pick up the hint, in the elevator; Four informed me that he and Eric are brothers, twins. 

It doesn't surprise me, too much. I thought they shared some of the same features. The same striking eyebrows. The same high cheekbones. The same prominent chin. 

"How are you holding up?" the Abnegation girl asks, leaning forward on her hands.   
I sigh, deeply, before I answer her.   
"Okay, I guess," I tell her. I'm not really sure how I am doing; I haven't taken the time to think about myself. I'm too worried about Eric, at the current moment. 

"He's gonna be okay, ya know?" she says, with a gentle smile. I lower my eyes to the floor, averting her gaze. I don't know that. I've never seen anything like what he is going through. 

"How do you know?" I ask, quietly, barely above a whisper.   
"I just know," she answers, confidently. "Eric isn't weak." 

How I wish Eric could see that. I'm a bit surprised at her statement, though.   
"He thinks he is," I tell her, truthfully. "He didn't want anybody to know that, ya know? It was my fault, anyway." I've whispered the last part, my voice dripping with pain, and guilt. 

"What was your fault?" Tris inquires, curiously.   
"When he was attacked, by the factionless men," I begin. "He could've kept walking. They wouldn't have bothered him. But, they were raping me, and I passed out. When I came to, the guy that did it was dead; Eric killed him."  
I swallow thickly, as tears fill my eyes, once again, at the horrible memory.

"He pulled the guy off of me, and killed him. Then he tried to take down the other three men, but he was outnumbered. I ran away, while they beat him, and slashed his chest open, with a crude knife. And then, they held him down, while they took turns with him. I ran away, while he was screaming..." 

I find myself crying, now.

Tris puts her arms around me, and squeezes gently; a friendly gesture.   
"Hey," she says, softly. "That was not your fault. Eric can't think that it's your fault." 

"I know," I sigh, again. "I just can't help but feel guilty..."

"It's okay, Stormy," Tris tells me. "Time heals all wounds, and shit."

I laugh at that.

I think I like this girl. 

"So," I say, ready to switch the topic. "Did you get one of these?"   
I point to the neurosim disk on my collar bone.

"Yeah," she admits, pulling her sleeve back, and pointing to her own, located on the back of her shoulder. 

"So, did it make you go to sleep?" I ask, curiously.

"No," she replies, her eyes widening. "I didn't know you were Divergent, Stormy."

"I'm not," I tell her, slightly shocked. I'm not Divergent. 

"You must be," she informs me, with a quizical expression. "The only people who aren't affected, are." 

"No," I insist. "I got an Erudite result."

"Who did your test?" she asks, slowly; her eyes searching mine for something.   
"Tori Wu, from Dauntless," I tell her, honestly. "Why?"

Understanding lights the former Abnegation girl's face, instantly. 

"She entered your results, manually," she states. "She administered my test, too. And she entered my result, manually, too." 

Shit. 

I'm Divergent?

  


**Four's POV:**

 

Eric doesn't look good; his skin is pale, and he looks much thinner than I remember him being. The muscle is still there, but, much of the bulk is gone.   
His eyes look slightly sunken back, in his skull, and dark circles shadow his blue-grey orbs. 

His breathing is uneven, and I'm worried. The doctors are doing everything they possibly can, but, opium has a different chemical makeup than Hyperopium. 

He needs Hyperopium, just a small amount, to bring him down off of it, slowly.

I can't get it. 

If it weren't for the wheezing, and ragged breaths he is taking, in his sleep, I would think he is dead. 

I still don't really know how to handle the fact that this man is my brother.   
I've always felt some strange, unexplainable connection to him; but I could never put my finger on it, until Evelyn shed light on the fact that he is my fraternal twin.

My little brother.

That seems really weird, but, oddly enough, it doesn't shock me as much as it probably should. I am glad he admitted that he never hated me; that did make me feel slightly better. He probably thinks that I called him "brother" out of comradery; not because we are actually brothers. 

If-... When he wakes up, I have to tell him.  
And then, I have to take him to Evelyn; I don't like her, but I promised.

I keep my promises. 

"Four?"

I lift my eyes to see Eric, attempting to sit up, in his hospital bed. I rush to help him, lifting the head of the bed to support him. 

"Hey, man," I say, attempting a smile, but it is forced. "How you feeling?" 

Eric rolls his eyes at me. 

There's the Eric I know. 

"Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to," he tells me, snarkily, as he holds his chest, struggling for his breath. 

"Hey," I say. "Take it easy." 

His breathing calms down a bit, but I can still see the struggle.

"Eric?" I begin, as he turns his face towards me. "I need to tell you something." 

"Yeah," he says, slowly. "Me too." 

"You go first then," I say, wishing there was an easy way to say this. 

"Hell no," he says, coughing a bit. "You brought it up, first. Fucking spill."

"Fine," I say, clearing my throat. "I saw my mother, a couple days ago. She told me some very interesting news. She said, that-."

"We're brothers," he says, nodding his head, slowly. "Yeah, I know. That's kinda what I was going to tell you." 

"Wait," I say, in shock. "How do you know?"

He hesitates, momentarily. "Uh, Jeanine, she told me, just a couple of days ago. She didn't go into a lot of detail, but, she told me that my real parents didn't want me. She said I was adopted when I was baby." 

Shit. 

The bitch.

"Hey," I say, suddenly in defense of our mother.

Ah, fuck. 

I called her mother. 

"Don't let Jeanine lie to you anymore," I tell him. "Marcus didn't know you existed. Did Jeanine tell you that we're twins?" 

"Fuck, no," he states, in shock, apparently. "We don't look identical to me, either."

"Fraternal twins," I inform him. "We don't have to be identical. Evelyn told me that they weren't expecting twins, and that I had already been handed to Marcus, when you popped out."   
Eric cringed at the odd reference.   
I get it.  
"She let the midwife hide you, and then she took you to Jeanine, searching for your sanctuary. So, don't be too angry with her. She was trying to save you from Marcus."

"Oh," he said, slowly. "Shit."

"Yeah," I agree. "Shit."

  


**Eric's POV:**

 

After Four, my brother, left the room, Stormy came in to visit me. She didn't stay for long; she said she wanted to burn her clothes, and get new ones.  
I don't blame her. 

I fell asleep again, and it was dark outside when I awoke, once again.   
This time, Four's girlfriend is waiting for me.   
I feel a slight pang of fear. I'm incapacitated; and I don't know how she feels about me, after my manic hunt for Divergents, and the trouble I gave her in initiation. 

"So, the mighty leader finally reached rock bottom, huh?" she asks, as she scoots onto the bed, sitting beside me.   
I scowl at her, but it probably looks more like a grimace. 

"Hey," she says, smiling softly. What a weird expression to have directed at me. "I was just joking. How'd the family reunion go?" 

"Um, okay," I say, nervously. "I guess." 

"Look," she says, quietly. "I just wanted to let you know, you aren't weak. I can tell you think so; it shows on your face. But, you are not weak."

I don't really know how to respond to that. 

"You must not have been at my trial," I reply, rolling my eyes. 

"I was, actually," she admits, and I lower my gaze, as I press my lips tightly together. "What," she begins again. "You think because you were a victim of circumstance, you're a coward? Come on, seriously?" 

I didn't realize the tears in my eyes, until they fell down my face, dripping onto my arms crossed over my chest, and I turn my face away from her. 

"Hey," Tris says, more gently this time. "Look at me."

I turn to look at her, because, let's face it, my appearance is already ruined by my drug use, and my confessions at the trial. 

She reaches up to wipe the tears away, and for some reason, I let her. 

"You know," she says, gently. "There's a good chance that you're gonna be an uncle, at some point in time." 

"Oh God," I roll my eyes, grateful at the change of subject. "I don't need to hear those stories." 

"Did Four tell you, that we leave for Factionless, tomorrow?" 

I feel my stomach drop. 

No.

No he did not. 

"He failed to mention it," I answer her, swallowing thickly.   
I don't want to go to Factionless.   
There's a good chance that Samson, Romy, and Eddie live there; I don't want to see them.

I don't want to go to Factionless.   
"Why do I have to go?" I inquire, nervously. I feel my lip trembling, and the corner of my mouth, twitching. 

"Evelyn, your mother, she's the leader of the Factionless. Four promised to bring you to her."

Shit.

 

********************************************************************************************

 

_Ten hours later_

I can barely stand on my own two feet, and I am sweating profusely.   
It's not like it long walk to Factionless, shouldn't take more than an hour, but, in my state...   
I'm feeling worse for wear; the absence of Hyperopium becoming for evident to my addicted body. 

Stormy lets me lean on her, and Four helps, occasionally, too. I don't feel well, at all.   
I guess it's better that I do meet my mother, now, though.   
The doctors admitted to me, that there's a strong possibility I won't live without the Hyperopium in my system while I detox.   
I need to meet her, before I die.   
I don't want to die. 

I thought it would make me happy; I thought it would solve all my problems, but, now I've got Stormy back, my Stormy.   
I look down at her as we walk, and she gazes up at me. I force a pained smile at her, and she returns the expression. Last night, I finally realized, through my thick brain, that she had told me my father, Marcus, was her regular "client". 

I'm glad he's dead. 

I'm okay with being a bastard child. 

We stop just outside of an old business complex; an office building, with a car garage attached to one side.   
I places my hands on my knees, and feel my body trembling as I almost lose my breath; struggling against the feeling of vertigo, as my vision spins.   
I close my eyes, and shake my head. 

Stormy rubs my back, up and down, gently, trying to soothe me.   
She's the reason I don't want to die, anymore.   
I don't want to lose her; I don't want to leave her, again. 

"Caleb!"  
I look up to see Tris running into the arms of the boy that I bumped into a couple of times at Erudite.  
What is he doing here?

"Sis!"  
Oh...

There's a lot of sibling connections going on, here. 

"Come on inside," he says, leading the way through the blacked out, metal door. 

This must be Factionless.

I almost don't believe my eyes when I step through the doorway.   
There's a whole fucking city in here.   
Everybody inside is busy, running to and fro. 

I see people working on weapons, people sewing pieces of fabric together, people peeling vegetables; I didn't know the Factionless worked. 

"Tobias!" 

I see a lady, appearing to be in her mid-thirties, approach Four, tentatively. 

"Tell me you found him," she pleads, quietly, with a hint of sadness, as well as hopefullness, in her tone. 

He turns to look at me, where I stand, leaning over against Stormy, as she supports me. 

I meet his gaze, my eyes travelling back to the woman who addressed him once more. 

She follows Four's gaze, and then her eyes meet mine. 

"Is that him?" she inquires of Four, her eyes never leaving mine. 

"Yeah," he tells her, smiling a bit. "His name's Eric."


	11. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to update, if anybody is even reading this... Things have been tense at my house the last couple of days. Hope you enjoy all the chapters I'm about to upload.

Eric's POV:

 

This woman is my mother?  
She's so young...  
I thought Four said that Marcus killed her?  
I have a lot of questions to ask, I guess. 

I have her nose, and the same, steely, blue-grey eyes.   
She is staring at me, and several Factionless, as well as all of the Dauntless with us, are staring back and forth between me, and my young mother. 

I feel awkward. 

I can't imagine how I must look, and, I suddenly feel self-conscious. This woman sent me away, to be safe, and cared for; and I am now dying, because of my shameful drug addiction. 

I swallow, nervously, as Evelyn approaches me slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. 

"Do you know who I am?" she asks, quietly, nervous as well. I nod my head a bit, attempting to stand a bit straighter, but it is a difficult task, because Stormy is the only thing between me, and a trip to the floor. 

She smiles at me, gently, before looking me up and down.   
Worry shadows her face. 

"You're ill," she states, bluntly, crossing her arms.

I feel the need to cough, but I suppress it; I don't want to look any weaker in front of my mother, whom I've only just met. 

"Why don't we take this conversation somewhere more private?" Four suggests, quietly. Evelyn, steals a glance at him, before turning back to me. 

"Follow me," she says, in a tone I can't quite decipher. 

Four, Stormy, Tris, Caleb and myself, follow Evelyn into a small house. It has stained glass windows, and is made of many different types of wood. There are little puffs of smoke escaping from the chimney. 

Evelyn asks us to be seated at the table in the middle of the main room, and I take the seat beside her, across from Four, and Stormy sits to my left. Tris sits to Four's right, and Caleb takes the seat at the far end of the table, across from my mother. 

Evelyn clears her throat, and turns to me, attempting a smile again.   
"So, uh-," she struggles for a moment. "Eric. What was life like at Erudite?" 

I wasn't really expecting that question, but I don't really mind answering.   
"It was fine," I reply, quietly, my voice weak and hoarse. "My par-, uh, Chris and Karen, they took care of all my material and financial needs. They weren't too happy when I chose Dauntless, though. I told them I was going to choose Erudite. They were actually pissed." I find myself smirking a bit at the memory, the looks on their faces was pretty funny, but I couldn't enjoy it, back then. 

"Dauntless?" Evelyn seems proud. "Well, I guess I didn't expect that." 

"He's a leader, actually," Stormy pipes up, from beside me. 

"A leader?" Evelyn grins. "I guess I popped out a superior batch, then, huh?" 

Four snorts, and attempts to block the snicker that barely escapes from his throat, before clearing it, and putting on a serious face. 

I roll my eyes, and Evelyn giggles. 

"Boys," she says, in a light, joking tone. "Get along." 

I find myself smiling at that, before a coughing fit racks my body, and I clutch my chest afterwards, struggling to breathe. 

Evelyn looks none too happy. 

"What, exactly, is wrong?" she asks, quietly, reaching a hand towards me on the table, but not touching me. 

I don't answer her. 

I find that I like her.

I don't want her to know that I'm dying. 

When I hesitate, she turns to Four, searching out an answer. 

I glare at him, and shake my head, but he shrugs. 

"Jeanine," he answers, simply.   
I cringe at the name, and I feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. 

"Well, that doesn't tell me much, Tobias," she says, pressing for me.   
I press my lips together, tightly, and glare at Four again. 

"Stop trying to glare me to death, Eric," he says, and I drop the expression, immediately. "Jeanine faked Stormy's death about a year ago."   
He gestures towards Stormy, and Evelyn turns to look at her, as Four continues.   
"Eric couldn't handle it, he tried to kill himself." 

I look down at my hands in shame, as I feel my mother's gaze land on me. 

"What?" she asks, clearly hurt. I swallow thickly, in shame. 

"He was in a coma for a week, after that. Jeanine was waiting for him to wake up, and she had a nurse inject him with Hyperopium."   
Evelyn was clearly about to interrupt, again, but Four held up a hand to stop her. 

"He didn't know what it was, then. Jeanine told him it would help him. She had her nurse come by every couple of days to keep him from going into withdrawals. And when she stopped sending the nurse, he did go into withdrawals. He went to Jeanine, and she had the nurse teach him how to shoot himself up."   
Four grows angry at his own words, as I try to duck my head even lower, in my shame. 

"She gave him more, and more, every time. I found out, because I noticed something wasn't right, and I walked in his apartment, and found him with the fucking needle in his arm... Eric, hold your fucking head up. This is not your fucking fault, and I'm sick of you acting like it is." 

I feel my mouth open a bit, in shock, but I try to sit a bit straighter; I didn't know he felt that way. I thought he blamed me. 

Stormy rubs my arm, and my mother gazes at me, with a pained expression. 

 

 

Four's POV:

I feel bad for shouting, but, I really don't see why Eric blames himself; the only person who deserves blame here, is Jeanine. 

I clear my throat, when he looks at me in shock, attempting to comply. 

"So," I continue. "One day, I was working at the desk in the control room, and I saw Eric leave his apartment with a bag full of the red shit. He went down a corridor and dropped to the floor at a dead end; I knew he was about to take all of it. There must've been a month's worth, if he would've only been taking the 5 a day, but he was taking 20."

"20?!" Evelyn starts, but I stop her words with a glare. 

"Mother..."

She sits back, falling silent once more. 

I know this is hard for her to hear; she used to shoot up, too. 

At least they have something in common, I guess.

"Anyway," I continue. "I just had this feeling, he was gonna take all of it. So, I rushed down there, and smashed it all on the ground. He was fucking mad, too. He said I had no idea what I had done; that I had no idea what he would have to do to get more, and that he would die without it..." 

I pause for a moment, to glance at Eric.   
He's still holding his head up, like I asked, but his eyes are on the table. 

"I didn't know what he meant, and asked him about it, and he finally told me. He said-."

"I think that's enough, Four," Eric says, darkly. Evelyn and Stormy look at him in shock; I suddenly realize, neither of these women have seen the darker side of Eric. His pale skin, and sunken-in eyes, give him an even more intimidating and dark appearance, when he uses that tone, glaring at me. 

"I think I need to continue, Eric," I tell him, slowly. I can see his nostrils flaring. I understand he doesn't like this story, his story. But, it's imperative. 

"I said," he says, leaning forward a bit, still glaring. "That's e-fucking-nough." 

Stormy looks frightened, and Evelyn looks confused when Eric's face changes suddenly to shock. 

"Oh my God," he says, quickly. "I-, Four, I'm sorry, I-, I don't know why-." 

"Don't worry Eric, I'm used to you going in and out," I shrug it off. "Though, that might be something to tell Stormy, later," I point out, as he leans back in his chair, shaking his head. 

Fuck.   
I feel really bad for my brother.   
He can't help this shit. 

"Anyway," I continue, as if Eric didn't just threaten to kill me with his eyes. "Jeanine wanted payment, but she didn't want... monetary funds..." 

I glance at Eric, to see that he is breathing heavily, and blinking rapidly. 

My momentary silence is interrupted. 

 

 

Caleb's POV:

"Do you remember me?" I ask, quietly, directing my question at the trembling man.   
He looks up at me, and nods his head, slowly. 

"You know Caleb?" Stormy asks, in shock. 

Eric shrugs. "I bumped into him, a couple times... Sorry, by the way."

"None taken," I assure him. "I- uh, I remember that day you came into Jeanine's office... I was kind of eavesdropping." 

I feel myself blush, as Eric looks at me, quizically. 

"I heard you trying to offer her two weeks worth of points, but she kept saying no. And, uh... well, I mean, it wasn't hard to guess what was going on in there; I know you didn't want it."

I feel really bad for this guy.   
I wish I didn't have to go back to Jeanine.  
I'm supposed to lead her to him, here. 

I clear my throat, before continuing. "Yeah, that was the first time I talked to you, I think; when you came out." 

"I remember," he says, quietly, staring at the table. "You asked if I was Eric. I was really short, and rude... How did you know who I was?" 

I look to Stormy, and offer her a small smile, as Eric glances back and forth between us. 

"Stormy's description left no room for mistaken identity," I explain. "I think I was the only person who visited her, that just wanted to talk." 

Eric moves his gaze to the girl by his side. 

She smiles at him, softly. "Eric, Caleb is the one who helped me escape that place. He stayed with me until we got to Abnegation, and then he left me with the rest of the Dauntless and refugees." 

He looks to me again, and nods, in gratitude. 

I smile at him. 

 

 

Evelyn's POV:

I don't know what to think about all of this.   
It doesn't sound like Eric was safe, at all.   
Maybe my family was doomed for struggle, and pain. 

I want to hug my son, but, I don't know he would respond to that. I don't want to be rejected. I'm just going to give him some time. I'm getting used to this, too. 

He inherrited more from me, than my looks, though.

Tobias starts speaking, again. 

"Yeah, so to clear up all that," he says, pointing from Eric to Caleb. "Jeanine forced him to have sex with her in exchange for the Hyperopium he needed to stay alive." 

What? 

I look at Eric, to see him staring at the table, again.   
He does that a lot.   
He is uncomfortable. 

I'm going to kill Jeanine. 

"When Dauntless went to attack Abnegation, I could tell he was too far gone into his trip to know what was going on. He ordered people to be executed. Men, women, and children. He was going to shoot me, so Tris shot him." 

Eric looked up at the girl beside Tobias, as she shrugged. 

"I don't remember any of that," he says, shaking his head.   
He does that a lot, too.

"I know you don't, bro," Tobias assures him. I smile at the nickname. "When he came to Candor... he had taken 50, in less than a few hours time. He overdosed. It was terrifying. I thought he was going to die..." I see Tobias swallow thickly, visibly. 

He does care. 

"They held his trial, a couple days later, and he hadn't had a fix in as long. He went into withdrawals, seizures and bleeding. He's still in withdrawals; it comes and goes..." 

Tobias is holding back.   
My youngest son, is dying. 

I turn to look at him, as I feel a tear leave a wet trail down my cheek. "You're dying?" I whisper, my voice breaking a bit. 

He nods, slowly. 

"You need Hyperopium? To detox?" I ask, still whispering.   
He nods, again. 

That, is one of the few things that I cannot aquire. 

"Well," I say, standing up quickly. "Who's ready to go to bed? I know I am. Make yourselves at home," I say, as I retreat quickly, running up the stairs two at a time, throwing myself on my bed. I curl up in a ball, and sob into my pillow. 

My baby is dying.

And there is nothing I can do for him.

 

Four hours later

 

I wake up to the sound of screaming.   
It's coming down the hall, from one of the many spare bedrooms in my home.   
I jump up, realizing I'm still dressed; I cried myself to sleep. 

I head down the corridor, slowly, in fear.   
It's a girl screaming. "Eric?!"   
I sprint to the room that the sounds are coming from.   
I swing open the door, to see Eric on the floor, convulsing, his eyes have turned black, and blank as his body seizes at awkward angles. It looks like his back should be broken the way he is twisted. 

I stand there, in shock. There's nothing I can do for him, until this stops.  
He stills, moments later. And the bleeding starts, then. He wakes up, sitting up quickly, panicking, and clutching at his chest. I notice that there is blood seeping through his shirt, rhythmically. 

I rush over to him, as Stormy kneels by one side, and I kneel in front of him.   
"Eric, shhhh," I coo. "It's okay. You're going to be okay." 

He shudders, leaning forward, and a pained scream escapes his bloody lips.   
I notice the blood pumping through his shirt; almost, like it's in time with his heart. 

"Stormy," I say, quickly, on the edge of panic, myself. "What did they do when he overdosed?"   
"They stabbed this giant needle into his heart, and drained the blood and as much of the black stuff as they could."  
"Oh my God," I say, holding his shoulders tightly. "Help me get his shirt off. Now!" 

 

 

Stormy's POV:

 

I feel the tears flowing freely from eyes, as I help Evelyn removes Eric's shirt. The bandage covering his heart is completely saturated with blood.   
Evelyn removes the bandage, slowly, as Four rushes in. 

"Sorry," he said, quickly. "I came as quick as I could, I had to-, uh, get dressed." 

Well, okay then... 

"Four, I need you to run downstairs. Get a knife, a straw, and matches. Stormy, run to my room and get my gun," Evelyn orders. 

I hesitate. I don't want to leave Eric. 

"Go!" Evelyn screams, so we hurry to get the supplies she asked for. 

When I get back to the room, Four is right behind me. Evelyn has pulled a towel out of the dresser and is holding it to the bleeding area. 

"Candor don't know what they're doing when it comes to things like this," she says, anger in her voice. "They don't understand, you can't just cover a wound like this when Hyperopium is involved. They don't know about the bleeding. Tobias, help my lay him down, but hold his head in your lap." 

Four does as Evelyn asks. 

She tells me to hold his arms down, and to sit on his legs; not to let him move. 

She is serious, so I comply, quickly. 

"Be brave, Eric," she says, softly, before plunging the straw into the hole over his heart. 

I have no idea what she is doing, but she's our only hope to stop the bleeding, right now. 

She leans down, sucking on the straw, until I see the blood start to move up the plastic tube. When there is about six inches of blood in the straw, it stops moving up. She leans down and sucks the blood from the straw, spitting it on the floor. She tells Four to hold the straw in place, and not to move it. 

She removes the clip from her gun, and pops a bullet out of it. 

Evelyn grabs the knife, and uses it to pop the cap off of the bullet, before pouring the blackish-blue gun powder down the straw.   
She strikes a match, and drops it down into the straw, immediately after. There's a pop, and the smell of burning flesh. 

She breathes what seems to be a sigh of relief, before removing the straw. She pops the cap off of another bullet, and pours it in a circle over the purple mark where the straw had been. 

She strikes another match, touching the flame to the powder once more.   
There is another, louder, bang, this time. 

The bleeding has stopped. The flesh melted together, where there was once a hole, that didn't heal. 

Evelyn sits back, on the floor, for a moment, before taking Four's place.   
She holds Eric's head in her lap, stroking his face, gently. 

Wow.

She really loves him. 

I turn to the door, when I hear a creak, and retreating footsteps. 

I get up to investigate, and catch a glimpse of Caleb right before he enters his room.

 

 

Caleb's POV:

I can't do it. I can't go back to Jeanine.   
I can't bring her here, to Eric.  
I can't do it.   
I won't do it.   
I won't do it.  
I won't do it.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Chaotic's POV:**

Factionless isn't so bad.   
There's more variety, here, than all five of the factions, combined. 

It still doesn't seem real; Stormy is alive.   
I spent an entire year believing that she was dead.   
My friends and I spent an entire year, mourning the life cut short. 

I haven't gotten to spend much time with her, though; she's been busy with Eric.  
I completely understand, though. 

Eric is one tough guy, I mean, he's been through all that shit, and he's still standing. He's still fighting. 

He's the very definition of Dauntless; he never gives up. 

I used to think he was a real asshole.   
A gorgeous asshole, but, an asshole, nonetheless. 

There isn't much for us to do, but sit around, talking or goofing off. 

Some of the Factionless have decided to join us, keeping us company.   
I guess they have nothing better to do. 

"Hey," a man's voice comes from behind me. 

I turn around to see a young man, maybe in his mid-twenties, smirking down at me. 

"Hi," I say, grinning. He's pretty easy on the eyes, that much, is for sure. 

"Care if I join you?" he asks, not waiting for answer, and plops down on top of the table, beside me. 

"Sure," I say, giggling a bit. I'm a sucker for good-looking guys. 

"So," he begins, holding out his hand. "I'm Romy."

"Chaotic," I reply, taking the offered hand, and shaking it. 

"Chaotic, huh?" he grins. "I like it, you sound like a wild woman."

"I probably am," I smirk. 

I think we've hit it off pretty well.

 

 

**Stormy's POV:**

Eric is still sleeping when I awaken.   
I don't know what to do.  
What can I do?

We have absolutely no way of obtaining the drug he needs to survive. 

My Eric is going to die.

I've only just gotten him back, and he is about to leave me, forever. 

I stare down at him, asleep on the bed.

Dried blood still covers his face, where it flowed from his nose, mouth, and ears.   
His body is still, except for the occasional, ragged breath, filling out his lungs, momentarily, before his chest falls, again. 

At least, he is breathing.

"Stormy?"

I look up to see Four, standing in the doorway. 

"Yeah?" I say to him. 

"You should go eat breakfast, with everybody else," he tells me. "I can stay here, with him."

"No, I'm not hungry," I reply, not wanting to leave Eric's side. There's no telling when he could have another episode. 

"Listen," he says, walking into the room. "We will figure something out, okay? But, you need to keep your strength up; he needs you, healthy." 

He has a point, there. 

"Alright, fine," I give up, leaning over to kiss Eric softly, on the forehead, before heading out to join the rest of the Dauntless. 

 

 

**Four's POV:**

I sit on the bed, beside Eric, as Stormy exits the room.   
He already looks dead.   
If I have to, I will break into Erudite, and steal the fucking shit.

I hear Eric groan, beside me, and I turn to look at him, as he slowly opens his eyes, and sits up. 

"Shit!" he exclaims, but he doesn't fall back down. 

It's amazing, in a bad way, how much paler, and thinner he looks than just last night. This ordeal is draining all the life from him, faster than I could have ever imagined. 

"How are you-," I begin, but Eric interrupts me.

"Don't you dare ask how I'm fucking feeling, again," he says, throwing the covers back, and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. 

"Okay," I agree. "What exactly do you think you're doing, anyway?" 

I stand, as he does; he shouldn't be out of bed. 

"I know what I'm doing," he explains, like it's obvious. "I'm going to find Stormy." 

"I don't think you-."

"Don't even try, big brother," he states, as he walks to the door. 

"Okay," I give in, but I follow him, as he leaves Evelyn's house. 

I wonder if he knows what he looks like, my guess, would be no.   
But, there is no talking to him, right now.   
Besides, time is short... 

We spot Stormy across the great hall that the Factionless use as a cafeteria, sitting at a table with Christina. 

I don't know if Eric notices, but almost everybody in here is staring at him; he is covered in blood, after all. And he is lacking a shirt; his many scars on display, as well. 

"Oh my God!" Christina exclaims as we approach, her mouth falling open. "Eric, what happened to you? You've lost so much weight! You're so pale! You're... covered in blood?" 

Stormy turns to look at Eric, and I know she sees it, too.   
It would be hard to miss, especially in the bright lights in the open room. 

"Eric," she starts, standing to her feet. "What the hell are you doing out of bed?" 

There is fire in her eyes, she is clearly angry. 

"Why would I be in bed?" he inquires, taking a seat at the table. 

"Maybe because of what happened last night, for a starter?" she says, quietly. 

Eric scoffs.

"Look, Stormy," he begins. "I don't have much time, okay? You know it, too. I'm fucking dying. I'm not spend my last hours in fucking bed, wasting away." 

Stormy bites her lip, and I can tell she is holding back tears. 

She sits back down, beside Eric, and I sit on his other side. 

He has a point.

"I-," Eric starts, interrupted by a coughing fit. He clears his throat, before continuing. "I love you, Stormy."

I feel as though I maybe shouldn't have heard that.  
He knows he doesn't have long.   
He could go on his last trip at any time.

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

I'll be lucky if I last the hour. 

"Why are you telling me that, right now?" Stormy asks, quietly, fear evident in her eyes. 

"Because, I need you to know, before... before," I tell her, quietly. My heart is going to give out soon. My pulse is so irregular, I don't know how I'm still alive, now. 

Stormy takes a deep breath through her nose, and I really hope she isn't about to have a panic attack on me. 

She doesn't say anything, in return.   
I wonder if she doesn't feel the same, or if she's afraid to speak it, because it would be like saying goodbye?

I feel a sharp pain in my head, and a burning in my chest, and I struggle to breathe. 

"I just-, I had to tell you," I say, through clenched teeth. "I-, I wish we had more time, but- fuck..." I lean over, and lay my head on the table, I suddenly feel very heavy. 

"Hey, Eric," Four says, panic in his voice. 

My eyelids feel heavy, and I blink very, very slowly. 

"Eric?" Stormy sounds scared, now. 

"Do you hear it?" I ask, laughing weakly. 

 

 

**Four's POV:**

"Eric," I say, nervously. "What are you talking about?" 

I'm scared.

This isn't good.

I think his time may be up sooner than I thought.

"The- the fucking," Eric coughs a bit, before continuing. "Do you hear the fucking drums? They're so fucking loud..." 

Eric's face falls suddenly, his eyes shut, and his face blank. 

"Eric?" Stormy and myself say, at the same time. 

No.

No.

No.

"Eric?!" I scream, as I feel the tears burning my eyes. "Wake the fuck up!" 

I shake his shoulders, but he doesn't budge. 

"Come on," I say weakly, my lip trembling as the tears fall down my face. "Come on, please..." 

"No," Stormy whispers, shock and denial apparent on her face. "No."

"What is it, what's going on?" my mother runs up, quickly. 

I can't answer her; I just turn my tear-streaked face to look at her, and her face falls. 

"No," she says. "No!" 

She grabs Eric's still form, pulling him onto the floor, gently, and placing his head in her lap. 

"Eric?" she tries. "Eric, come on, it's time to wake up." 

He doesn't move.

He doesn't breathe.

There is no sign of life in him. 

The entirety of Factionless has fallen silent. 

My brother is dead.

 

 

**Caleb's POV:**

I rush to my room, grabbing two vials of the Hyperopium, and the syringe, before rushing back down the stairs.   
I hurry into the cafeteria. 

The sight before me is heart-wrenching. 

I don't know if this will work; he's already gone. 

I have to try.

I will explain myself, later. 

I sprint over to Eric's still form, kneeling beside him. 

I open my hands, for Four to take the supplies. 

He looks at me, in shock. 

"How-," he starts to ask. 

"Later," I tell him, in all seriousness. 

He nods, and gets to work, quickly. 

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

I watch as Tobias pulls the tourniquet tight, around Eric's bicep, before preparing the needle, quickly. 

His hands shake, and he falters in his attempt. 

"Son," I say, and he looks at me, the tears glistening on his cheeks. "Give it to me; I'll do it." 

He hands the syringe over, and I don't hesitate; I plunge the needle into his vein, quickly, releasing the drug into his bloodstream. 

Nothing happens. 

I reach for the other vial, filling the syringe, once again, with the red liquid. 

When I push down on the plunger, I wait a moment, holding my breath. 

1...  
2...  
3...  
4...  
5...  
6...  
7...  
8...

Eric's eyes shoot open, and I laugh, as he gasps for air. 

My baby is alive, for now. 

Much of the color he had lost, returns to his face; he looks even better than when he came in here, yesterday. 

My baby is alive. 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

Holy shit.  
I fucking died.   
Like, died, died.

I was outside my body, looking down at myself, and my family.   
Where the fuck did Caleb get Hyperopium?

I find myself gasping for breath, as air returns to my lungs.   
I feel...  
Well, I don't feel good, necessarily, but I'm alive. 

Before I can really register what is happening, my mother is peppering the top of my head with kisses. 

"Mother, what are you doing?" I ask, in horror at the unexpected display of affection, and I sit up quickly. 

She just grins at me, as I stand to my feet. 

Four throws his arms around me, picking me a couple of inches off the floor, as he hugs me, setting me back down, and placing a kiss on my cheek. 

"Oh my God!" I exclaim, in shock. "What was that for, Four? You fucking kissed me!" 

I rub at my cheek furiously, while he laughs.

Stormy jumps at me next, wrapping her arms around my neck and placing her lips on mine. 

I don't push her away; how could I?

I let myself melt into her, our lips moving together until she pulls away. 

"What was that for?" I ask breathily, as I gaze down into her eyes.   
"I love you, too, Eric," she replies, softly.

I smile, and lean down to catch her mouth with mine again, as I hear the Dauntless cheering. 

"That was fucking awesome!" I hear somebody say. 

Uriah. 

That little fucker. 

 

 

**Chaotic's POV:**

"So, where are we going, again?" I ask, nervously. I haven't seen anybody in this part of the building so far. 

"You'll see," Romy tells me, smirking. 

We reach the end of the hall, and enter a room with a blanket for a door. 

There are two other guys, probably around the same age. 

"Who's this Romy?" the bigger one asks. 

"This is Chaotic," Romy answers, grinning. 

I get an uneasy feeling, in here. 

"Hey, Romy," I say, quickly. "Let's do this some other time, okay? I really need to get back." 

"Awe, come on," he says, pouting his lip. "Stay." 

"Some other time, maybe," I reply, heading for the door. "I'm actually late to meet my friend, so maybe later today, huh?" 

It almost feels like they won't let me leave; thus the reason I offer to come "later".

I watch as their gazes shift back, and forth, between one another, like their conveying messages with their eyes. 

"Awe, alright," Romy says, with a smirk. "But, only because I love you, baby!" 

I force a laugh, hoping it sounds sincere. 

There is something weird about these guys. 

I feel safer the farther away from them I get, and the closer I get back to the other Dauntless. 

There is no way I'm going back in there, with them.  
No way, in hell...

I decide to look for Stormy, I really want to see my friend.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Caleb's POV:**

"How did you get that?" Eric asks me, as he pulls away from Kaitlynn. 

I lower my gaze. 

"How did you know I was the one that brought it in?" I ask, curiously. He was already gone, when I ran into the cafeteria. 

He shrugs, simply, as he looks at me expectantly. "How?"

I hesitate; the only way I can answer him, is to tell the whole story. 

"Why don't we go back to the house?" Evelyn suggests, quietly, glancing around at the prying eyes, surrounding our conversation. 

Eric glares at me, before turning to follow her, Stormy by his side. 

We take our seats at the table, in the main room, again. 

All eyes are on me, this time, though. 

I'm scared. 

"Caleb?" Tris asks, she looks worried. 

"Yeah," I begin, nervously, my voice shaking. "I'm getting there, just-, just give me a minute." 

I rub my face with my hands, as I try to work up the courage to explain myself. 

"Any day, now?" Eric says, darkly. 

"Okay," I take a deep breath, as I begin my tale. "Alright, look. I spent weeks trying to figure out how to get Kaitlynn out of Erudite. I didn't see how it could happen. I figured I would go out on a branch; I mean, it couldn't hurt to try."

I sigh, deeply. 

I really don't want to tell them this, but, I can't lie. I'm not a liar. 

"I walked into Jeanine's office, and you were there," I say, shifting my eyes towards Eric. "That was the day I saw you passed out in the corner, surrounded by the needles, and vials. I made a deal with Jeanine. She allowed to me to get Kaitlynn out of there, during the attack on Abnegation. In exchange, I-... I, uh..." 

I don't know how to continue.

Eric's face softens, a bit; he knows how Jeanine is. 

"It's okay," he tells me, gently. "Please, continue." 

That helps, but, it doesn't make this any easier. 

"I didn't really know what my end of the bargain would be," I tell them, truthfully. "Not at first, anyway. I just knew that I had to return to her, once Kaitlynn was safe. She thought you died. She was angry, that-, sorry for the expression, but, she was angry that her "boy-toy" might be dead." 

There is an unreadable expression on Eric's face, as I continue. 

"She-, she uh," I take a deep breath, as I look at the table. "When I separated from Four, and my sister, I returned to Erudite. She wanted me to take your place..."

"What?" everyone asks, in unison, making me even more nervous. 

"Yeah, I don't want to talk about it," I say, my gaze still fixed on the table in front of me. "Anyway, the next day, she gave me a bag full of Hyperopium. If I found him alive, I was supposed to give it to Eric, and then I was supposed to bring Jeanine here. If he wasn't alive, I was supposed to begin taking it, and return myself to her."

"Fuck," Eric exclaims, anger thick in his voice. "What the fuck is wrong with that woman?" 

"Yeah..." I tell him, in agreement. 

"Caleb," my sister says, with tears forming in her eyes. I look at her, then. "She made you do... what she made Eric, do?" 

I nod, slowly. 

"Yeah, but..." I sigh, deeply. "But, only once. I didn't know how to tell you guys. I wanted to give the Hyperopium to Eric, before now, but-, I just didn't know how-, I-, I'm sorry." 

Eric stands up from his chair, walking over to me, and grabbing my arm. 

"Get up," he says, softly. "Get up, and come with me, now."

I look up at him, scared out of my wits. 

There is nothing menacing in his eyes, though, or his posture. 

"Yeah, okay," I agree, standing up, and following him, up the stairs, as he leads me to his, and Kaitlynn's, room. 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

Jeanine Matthews has ruined too many lives to count. 

Our small group is like one weird, but functioning, family.

Caleb was the reason that I now have Stormy back in my arms. 

I sit down, on the end up of the bed, and gesture for him to do the same. 

He does, but doesn't look at me. 

Is that what I look like? 

"So," I begin, clearing my throat. "I just wanted to, uh-, I just wanted to say, that, I'm sorry... And, I understand. I wanted to let you know, if you ever want to talk about it, I'm here. Or, if you just don't want to be alone, or need somebody to just sit there with you... I know what it's like..." 

The boy looks up at me, slowly. 

I almost expect him to start talking, but he breaks down.   
I feel tears prick at my own eyes, as he sobs. 

I am going to kill Jeanine. 

I place my hand on his back, and rub up, and down, attempting to soothe him. 

His sobs become hysterical, for a while, before they calm down to sniffles, and hiccups. 

"Okay?" I ask him, gently. 

He nods, and I lead him back down the stairs. 

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

The boy's eyes are red, and puffy; we heard him crying. 

Eric pats him on the back, before taking his own seat, once again. 

I turn to my son. 

"Alright, here's what is going to happen," I begin. "Caleb is going to give over the Hyperopium, and I am going to ration it out for you to detox. It's going to be under lock, and key. Have I made myself clear?" 

Eric nods first, then Caleb. 

"Alright, then-," I am interrupted by my front door being thrown open, quite suddenly. 

One of the Dauntless girls is standing in my doorway, her clothes ripped to shreds, hanging from her thin body. Her face is swollen, and bloody, and she is crying, with fear in her eyes. 

"Chaotic?!" 

 

 

**Stormy's POV:**

Oh my God. 

"Chaotic, what the fuck happened to you?" I ask, as I rush over to her, attempting to catch her gaze. When I catch her eyes, and she gazes back at me, I see a broken spirit. 

She doesn't answer me, she just drops to her knees, sobbing. 

Evelyn comes up beside us, attempting to pull my friend to her feet, and wraps a blanket around her shoulders. 

I help her walk over to the couch, but she won't talk to me. 

Tris and Four have retreated up stairs, to give us some privacy. 

I'm not sure what Caleb is still doing here. 

Eventually, the purple-haired girl's sobs have quieted, and she sleeps on the couch. 

I stand up, and turn to find Eric, hanging over my shoulder. 

We share a knowing glance; we don't know who did it, but we know what happened to her. 

"Eric, she-," I begin, but he finishes for me. 

"I know," he says, darkly. "When Four comes downstairs, tell him to come find me." 

Eric turns to leave. 

"Wait, where are you going?" I ask him, worry etched on my face. 

"I'll be back, okay?" he says, softly, kissing me gently, before walking out the door. 

I watch him go. 

He is heading towards an abandoned part of Factionless. 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

I make my way through the dark corridor; I don't see anyone. 

I think I see a light, up ahead, and I move towards it, quickly. 

"That was a fucking riot!" I hear a voice, and it fills my heart with dread. 

_Eddie._

"Awe, I know!"

_Samson._

"That was too, fucking easy!" 

The men laugh. 

"I know, right? It was pretty "Chaotic", though, huh?" 

_Romy._

I can hear the mocking tone in his voice. 

I stop dead, in my tracks. 

I'm terrified. 

Can I take them on?

What are the consequences, if I don't?

I take a deep breath, and I feel my pulse quicken. 

I decide that the best thing to do, would be to go back the way I came, so I turn on my heel, heading back towards the rest of Factionless. 

I'm going to get my brother. 

I've made it about two thirds of the way back, when I hear a noise behind me. 

When I turn to look, I don't see anything, but I get an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. 

I begin to jog, desperate to get back. 

"Hey!" 

I turn around, and there, behind me, is Eddie. 

"Remember me?" he smirks, as I swallow thickly. "Just couldn't get enough of my cock in your mouth, huh?" 

"Naw, he couldn't get enough of _my_ cock, in his ass!" Romy comes up, beside him. 

How the fuck do I get out of this? 

I turn to run, sprinting down the hall, in desperation, and fear. 

I can see the cafeteria, but I don't know if I'm in hearing range. 

I push myself, harder, and faster. 

All of a sudden, a shape drops, from the rafters, landing in front of me, on it's feet. 

"Hey, handsome," Samson smirks, as my eyes widen, in fear. 

I try to run past him, but I'm trapped by the three men. 

"Four!" I scream, hoping, and praying that someone hears me. 

Samson punches my jaw, and I fall to the floor, clutching the sore area. 

"Fuck," I whisper, quietly. 

Eddie pulls out that knife, that I remember all too well. 

_Shit._

 

 

**Four's POV:**

"Where's Eric?" I ask, when I have retreated downstairs, once more. 

Stormy looks up from her place beside Chaotic, who is still sleeping on the couch, with fear in her eyes. 

"He went looking for whoever did this," she tells me, quietly. 

"What?!" I exclaim. Eric is not strong enough for this, he's lucky to be alive. 

"He told me to tell you," she begins, gazing up at me. "to come looking for him, whenever you came back downstairs. I saw him head towards the abandoned section..." 

I don't stay to hear anymore, as I run out the door. 

"Eric?!" I call out, hoping he'll answer me, as I make my way through the cafeteria. 

"Four?" I turn to see Uriah, and Zeke. Uriah was the one who spoke.   
"What's going on?" 

"Chaotic was attacked," I explain, hurriedly. "And Eric went looking for the one responsible." 

I pinch the bridge of my nose with my fingers, and sigh, deeply, through my nose. "I have to find him; his body isn't ready for combat mode." 

"We'll come with you," Zeke speaks up, then. "What exactly happened? To Chaotic, I mean?" 

"I can't chat right now, Zeke," I growl, through clenched teeth, as my eyes scan the many faces in the cafeteria for my brother. 

My stupid, idiotic brother. 

"If you're coming, then hurry the fuck up," I spit out. I don't have time for this shit. 

"Four?!" 

That was Eric. 

I take off, sprinting towards the sound, with Zeke and Uriah on my heels. 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

"Fuck!" I scream out, as Romy lands a sharp kick to my ribs. 

"Ha, ha!" Eddie mocks me, laughing. "Damn, boy, I forgot how much fun you were! I love it when they fight!" 

I glare up at him, and spit a mouthful of blood in his face. 

"You little shit!" he yells, before punching my face, again. 

Shit.

I am so fucking stupid. 

"You don't look so good," Samson feigns concern, in a mocking tone. "Let me help you up." 

He grabs a fistful of my hair, dragging me to my feet, before throwing me to the floor. 

I struggle to stand again, but I only succeed in crawling. 

"Yeah, that's right!" Romy screams from above me. "Fucking crawl, you little bitch!" 

They continue to laugh, and taunt me, as I attempt to crawl away from them. 

"Where the fuck do you think you're running off to?" Eddie drawls, grabbing the collar of my shirt, and yanking me to my knees. "You scared?" 

Yes.

Yes, I am.

"No," I lie, through clenched teeth, as they laugh, before holding my head in place; I can't move. 

Samson unzips the fly of his jeans, and I close my eyes; I can't fucking believe this is happening, again. 

I'm so fucking stupid.

I was not ready to fight them. 

I feel his hard member rub against my face, and I try to turn away, in disgust, and fear. 

Romy and Eddie, don't allow it, though. 

Samson pries my mouth open with his fingers, as he forces himself into my mouth, moaning. 

I gag around him, tears burning my eyes, as he continues his brutal assault. 

It doesn't take him long to finish, and I quickly spit his disgusting juices out of my mouth, before he can force me to swallow it. 

"Hold him up!" Samson orders the other two, and they comply, quickly. "We're gonna have some more fun!" 

I glare at the man in front of me, as he pulls his fist back, before it makes contact with my stomach, over and over again. I lurch forward, coughing, the only thing keeping me from falling on my face, is Romy and Eddie. 

"Hey," Eddie smirks. "It's my turn!" 

Samson trades places with him, and he flashes the knife in front of my face, humming as he does so. 

"Yeah, Ed, cut him up!" Romy hollers, as Eddie smirks, and draws the knife back. 

I swallow, thickly, and close my eyes. 

Well, this is it. 

All of a sudden, the hands holding me up are gone, and I fall to the ground, on my stomach. 

I look up to see my brother, Uriah, and Zeke, beating the shit out of the men that have haunted my nightmares for too long. 

I try to pull myself up, off the ground, only to fall back to my knees, and vomit. 

" _Fuck_!" I exclaim, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, noticing the blood that stains my hand, as well. 

 

 

**Four's POV:**

Well, we got them. Zeke and Uriah have cuffed the three men, and currently have their guns trained at them. 

"Fuck!" 

I turn around, quickly, rushing over to Eric. 

My brother vomits, and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

He's not looking too good. 

His face is covered in blood, and bruises; his arms are covered in bruises, as well. And blood pours down his face, and over his left eye, from a gash on his forehead. 

I help him to his feet, supporting most of his body weight. It's not a difficult feat; he's lost a lot of weight, especially the last few weeks. 

He leans forward, as I hold onto him, and vomits, for the second time, blood tinging the mostly clear bile. 

"It's okay, I got you," I tell him, as his face contorts in pain. 

He half screams, half growls, through his teeth, as he pulls away from me, limping towards the cafeteria. 

"I don't need your fucking help!" he spits, as I follow him. 

Oh well.

He's getting it, anyway. 

I attempt to grab a hold on him again, and he jumps, stumbling, and almost falling. 

"Don't fucking _touch_ me!" he screams, as he heads down the hall, once again. 

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

My door slams open, for the second time, today.

This time, it's Eric. 

"Oh my God!" I exclaim, taking in his appearance. "What happened?" 

I reach out for him, but he flinches, before glaring at me. 

"Don't touch me," he says, his eyes wide, as he turns and limps up the stairs, before I hear him slam the door to his room. 

"Mother!" 

I glance towards the stairs, once more, before turning towards Tobias, as he stands in the doorway. 

"We've got a situation," he informs me, and I follow him outside. 

Three of my men have been cuffed, and thrown to the floor, in front of my house. 

"What is this?" I inquire, looking from Tobias, to my men, and back to Tobias. 

"Detain them, _now_ ," he tells me, darkly. I don't know what this about, but I will do as he says. I nod to the guards standing by door, and they hurry to comply. 

"What is this about, Tobias?" I ask him, again. "What happened to your brother?" 

He sighs, deeply. 

 

**Four's POV:**

"I need to talk to him, now," I push past my mother, and make my way up the stairs.

As I approach his door, I hear him, sobbing.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Stormy's POV:**

Evelyn had Chaotic moved to the hospital; it's not big, at all.   
There are 12 beds in the room, separated only by thin blankets on rods.

Chaotic is still asleep; it has been about an hour since she showed up at Evelyn's house. 

I am worried about Eric; I would've thought he'd be back, by now.   
I would've thought he would come to find me. 

I hear a commotion, outside. 

I briefly debate over whether or not to leave Chaotic, but there's a nurse here, if she wakes up while I'm gone.

I exit the hospital, and see a large crowd gathered in front of Evelyn's house. 

Oh, no. 

Eric...

I rush over, pushing my way through the Dauntless, and Factionless, that are gathered there. 

There are three men, kneeling on the ground, hand-cuffed. 

I see Evelyn turn to Four, for a moment, before he dashes into the house. 

Two guards hurry to the men kneeling on the ground, forcing them to stand, and turning them around. 

I gasp.

I am currently standing face to face with the men who attacked, and raped, me, so long ago. 

Eddie smirks at me. "Well, hello again, _Darlin_ '," he drawls, reminding me, very vividly, of the way he had said, almost, the exact same thing that he had said to me that horrible night. "My, haven't you grown up? Had a nice _visit_ with your boyfriend." 

Eric...

Eddie smirks, again, at the expression on my face. 

I rush at him, knocking him to the ground, as I pummel his face with my fists. 

"Stormy?!" Evelyn runs to me, attempting to pull me off the man beneath me. "Stormy, stop this!" 

I halt my assault, and stand, looking around at the many staring faces. 

"Stormy?" Uriah approaches me, tentatively. "Uh, they're being detained... There are more important things to worry about right now." 

"Where is Eric?" I demand, and Romy and Samson laugh, as I turn to glare at them. 

"Where is Eric?" I ask again, darkly, turning back to Evelyn. 

"He-, he ran, sort of, upstairs," she tells me, as I turn, attempting to go to him. "I-, I wouldn't, right now," she informs me, softly, and I stop in the doorway. "Tobias ran after him... something's wrong. He-, I would just wait, until Tobias comes back down, okay?" 

I feel a lump forming in my throat. 

Why did he have to go after them?

Why did he have to try to play the hero?

I watch, as Evelyn's personal guards lead the three men away, roughly, before sitting down on the steps to wait my turn for Eric. 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

I was so fucking _stupid_.  
I was so _fucking_ stupid.  
I was _so_ fucking stupid.

I find myself sitting in the corner, with my knees pulled up to my chest, even though it is a painful position. I rock back, and forth, as I sob. 

When I limped through the cafeteria, I could feel everyone staring at me, but I couldn't be bothered to care. I wanted to get home.

Home...

Is that was this is, now?

"Eric?" I hear a knock at the door, as Four calls out to me. 

I don't answer him. 

I don't want anybody to see me.

"Eric?" he calls, again. 

"Go _away_!" I scream, through my tears. 

I am so fucking weak. 

Four opens the door, and walks in anyway, coming straight for me. 

I look up at him in fear. 

He leans down, grabbing my wrist, and attempts to haul me to my feet. 

"Don't touch me!" I scream at him, again. "I told you not to fucking _touch_ me!" 

"Eric," he says, with a pained expression. "Eric, I'm not going to hurt you... Please, just talk to me. Tell me what happened?" 

"I was so fucking stupid," I tell him, shaking my head, and laughing. Apparently, I do that when under too much stress. "I was so fucking stupid..." 

"They were the ones, from before, weren't they?" Four asks, quietly. 

I can't bring myself to look at him, or, answer his question, for that matter. 

I am trying to hold back the tears, in front of my brother, but I'm losing the battle against myself. 

 

 

**Four's POV:**

When we first spotted Eric, two of the men were holding him still, while he was on his knees, and the third proceeded to punch him, several times. 

We don't know what happened, before that. 

We ran as fast as we could, but, this is a big place, and it took more time than I would've liked it to, to get to him. 

Eric didn't answer my question, and he refuses to look at me. 

I'm about to speak again, when he jumps at me, throwing his arms around my waist, and holding onto me as he begins to sob, again, the way he was before I came in here. 

Well, fuck. 

I let him cry while he holds onto me, and, if he wasn't currently so weak physically, his grip would probably cause me to lose my breath.   
I put my arms around him, as well, in an awkward embrace. 

Eric wouldn't be acting like this, if all those men did was beat him. 

He eventually calms down, but doesn't release his hold on me, and I still feel the tears from his eyes, seeping through my shirt. 

"Eric?" I say, gently, and sadly. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere, okay?" 

I feel his arms relax, as he finally lets go of me, but he still leans against me, crying. 

I notice that I am crying, too, and I didn't even know it. 

I swallow thickly, and rub his shoulder, soothingly. 

"Come on," I tell him, moving away from him, and sitting cross-legged on the floor. He joins me, looking down at his hands, as tears continue to leak from his eyes, falling off his cheeks, and into his lap. 

"Please," I plead with him. "Tell me what happened?" 

His face contorts in pain, again, and he shudders, his frail body trembling. 

"I can't," he explains, still refusing to look at me. "I _can't_..." 

"You need to," I press. "We can't do anything to them, if you don't tell me what they did..." 

"They-..." Eric begins, sniffling, and wiping his nose on his arm. "They, uh... Well, one of them... Samson, he-, uh... Look, I can't do this, Four. I can't fucking do this, go away, _please_." 

He looks at me, then, and there's something in his eyes that makes me feel uneasy. 

"Eric, you can do this," I tell him, truthfully. "I _know_ you can. You're the strongest person that I know. You can do this." 

He swallows, thickly, and stares into my eyes, as he tells me everything. 

I grow angry, the more he tells me. And, when he gets to the part where Samson forced him to do _that_... They are not going to get away with this. 

"And, then," Eric says, sighing. "You guys showed up." 

I'm fucking furious.

 

 

**Caleb's POV:**

I've got to stop eavesdropping...

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

I let Four talk me into going to the hospital; he said I need stitches, for the gash on my head. 

I lean on him, as we walk out the door. 

I must say, I wasn't expecting a crowd to be in front of my mother's house.   
Stormy is sitting on the steps, with her head in her hands. 

I want to say something to her, when she looks up at me, but I look look down, instead, choosing to remain silent. 

"Eric?" she whispers, softly, again. 

I shake my head, and continue limping, towards the hospital, using Four as a human crutch. 

I see Chaotic, there, at the hospital; she is still sleeping. 

Four leads me to the bed next to her's, and the nurse hurries over. 

While she stitches me up, I allow my mind to drift.

I was so fucking stupid.

 

_Four hours later_

I must've fallen asleep.   
I sit up in the hospital bed, groaning, as I do so. 

I lift my hand to my forehead, feeling the thick bandage there.   
I notice that I've been cleaned of most of the blood that was previously coating my body, like a second skin. 

"Hey." 

I turn my head to the right, to see Chaotic, leaning up on her elbows.

"Hey," I reply, moving off of my bed, and sitting on the edge of her's. "How are you doing?" 

"I've been better," she admits, with a slight frown on her face. "What about you?"

"I've been better, too," I repeat her words. "So, uh-... You wanna talk about it?" 

"Yes," she says, the frown deepening. "I'm so fucking angry I could shit a brick. Where do they get off? Clearly, they're such sore losers, they can't get any."

I'm shocked at her attitude. 

I'm piss scared, and embarrassed, while Chaotic is angry. She's not hesitant, or shy, about explaining what happened. 

"How are you not scared?" I whisper, quietly, my lip quivering. "Or embarrassed? What if people find out?" 

She looks at me, quizically. 

"What is there to be embarrassed about? And Four said that they were detained, so, no, I'm not scared." 

 

 

**Chaotic's POV:**

Eric looks so confused; he just told me how he was feeling, by asking me that. 

I wish he didn't feel that way. 

"Eric?" I begin, and he looks at me, waiting for me to continue. "Yeah, maybe I'm a little embarrassed, but, if I act like I am embarrassed, or scared, then they win. I saw how you were, at your trial; don't let that happen, this time, okay? Be angry. If somebody asks you what happened, don't hesitate; just tell them the truth. It's a whole heap more healthy, and it makes them look like the sorry excuse for humans that they are." 

I think I struck a chord. 

"W- what do you mean, this time?" Eric inquires, swallowing nervously. I can tell he's lying. 

"Eric, I'm Candor, remember? I don't know exactly what happened, but don't try to bullshit me; I can tell that they did something similar to you," I explain, cocking my head to the side. 

His mouth drops open, and I think he's going to cry, but he doesn't. 

"You're completely right," he tells me; I've clearly opened his eyes. After a moment's hesitation, he speaks again. "Samson forced me to suck him off." 

"Shit," I tell him. Yeah, okay, so I feel bad, but this will be good for him. "I bet you're angry, aren't you?" 

He lifts his head up, and leans it to the side, thoughtfully. 

"Yes, I am," he says, and I know I've had an affect on him. 

"I have to go, I'll see you later, okay?" he calls, as he jumps up, and runs out the door. 

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

"Yeah, I'm not disclosing that information," Tobias explains. "He would hate me for it. He's not taking this so well." 

I sigh, in frustration, as does Stormy. 

Tobias is the only person who has spoken with Eric; he's the only person who knows what happened to his brother. 

I hear the door open, and then slam closed. 

Eric storms in, seating himself at his usual seat at the table; he is fuming. 

"Eric?" Tobias says, gently, moving to sit across from him. "Is everything okay?" 

Stormy and myself slip into our seats, as well, watching the conversation, closely. 

"No, it's not," Eric replies, crossing his arms over his chest, and leaning back in his chair. "I'm fucking _pissed_." 

"Oh," Tobias says, confusion etched on his face. "What are you pissed about?" 

"Where do they fucking get off?" I see Eric's knee, bouncing up, and down in his anger. I haven't seen him like this, and, from the looks up things, Tobias and Stormy are unsure of what to think, as well. 

"I mean," he continues, the anger dripping through his voice, like venom. "It wasn't enough for them to fucking gang-rape me, last time? Now, I have to fucking suck a cock, just because they can't fucking get any?" 

"What?!" Stormy and myself exclaim, in unison. 

"Yeah! I know, right? I'm fucking pissed. Aren't you fucking pissed?" he inquires, turning his gaze to Tobias, who nods his head, clearly in shock. 

"I-, I just," Tobias begins, quietly. "I thought you'd be a little more, you know, discreet?" 

"What the fuck is the point of discretion? They're the ones who should be fucking embarrassed!" Eric throws his hands in the air. 

Well, I guess this is better than having him mope around, depressed, all the time.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Four's POV:**

The next morning, Tris and I head out to the cafeteria; everyone else has already left.   
I guess we overslept a bit; we were... busy, last night. 

I grin at the memory. 

I spot Eric and Stormy across the large, open room, and we make our way over to them.   
I sit across from my brother, while Tris sits beside me, across from Uriah. 

"Mom shot me up," Eric told me, smirking, before finishing off his orange juice. "I wanted to do it, but she wouldn't let me. She definitely knows what she's doing." 

"Yeah, she should," I reply, taking a bite out of my toast. 

"Why's that?" he asks, looking at me quizically. 

Oh yeah, I haven't told him that part. 

"Mother used to shoot up Hyperopium, when she was with Marcus," I explain, as his eyes go wide. 

"What? Why?" he asks, alarm ringing in his voice. 

I just shrug; I really don't know. 

"You'll have to ask Mother," I inform him, scooting closer to Tris on the bench, and stealing one of her sausages. 

"Hey!" Tris exclaims, playfully punching me in the shoulder. 

"So, uh, Eric?" Uriah says, nervously. 

Eric looks to Uriah, on his left, expectantly. "Yeah?"

"I grabbed some of your stuff, a few days ago," Uriah begins, shifting in his seat. "I kinda snuck back in to Dauntless... mostly, because of the lack of decent liquor, here."

"You're an idiot," Eric replies, but gestures for him to continue. 

"I, uh-," Uriah stands up a bit, reaching into his back pocket, and pulling out a small, rectangular box. "I remember when you got this; I was in the back room, when you ordered it." 

Eric's eyes light up, and he grabs Uriah around the waist, before kissing his cheek. 

"You're a fucking angel!" he exclaims, accepting the small box, while the rest of us try to hold in the giggles. "What's this?" 

Eric pulls off a small roll of paper that was held on to the box by a rubber band. 

He opens it, and his mouth falls open. 

"Thank you, Uriah," he says, his voice sounding thick, and slightly hoarse. "Thank you so fucking much." 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

I stare at the photograph; I had forgotten I even had this picture. 

It was a picture of me, when I was five, and I was missing two of my bottom teeth. I held onto a small, black puppy, hugging it to my cheek, and grinning, from ear to ear. You could see my pare-... You could see Chris and Karen just behind me, looking down at me, and smiling. 

I miss them. 

My throat feels tight, and I clear my throat a bit, before shoving the picture into my pocket, along with the necklace that I had customized for Stormy. 

"What is it?" she asks, quietly. I look down at her and smile, even though it is difficult. 

"It's nothing," I lie. "I'll tell you about it, later, okay?" 

She nods, and places her hand on my arm. 

I've got to say, besides all the bad shit that's happened the last few days... or weeks, rather, I actually feel pretty good. Evelyn is currently giving me 4 ML of Hyperopium, twice a day; she told me that by the end of the week, I'll be down to 3 ML, twice a day. 

I've got to ask her about that; Four said she used to shoot up, too.   
Maybe we have more in common than I thought. 

"So," Uriah starts again. "What exactly happened to you yesterday?" 

I feel like I'm going to stop breathing for a moment, but then I spot Chaotic, staring at me. It doesn't take long to push away the discomfort, and give in to my anger. I notice, that several ears are trained on me; almost all of the Dauntless, as we all sit in the same general area. 

I scowl, as I tell my story, hesitating no longer. When I've finished, I see Chaotic grinning at me, and giving me thumbs up, and I grin back at her. 

"Holy shit," Uriah says, looking uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, Eric..."

"Don't be," I tell him, honestly; I'm tired of pity, from myself and everyone else. "I didn't do anything wrong, they did. They're gonna get what's been coming to them for a while, now." 

"Can I get in on that?" Uriah pipes up, and I slightly blush, as several of the Dauntless call out in agreement. Why are they sticking up for me? After everything I've done... Stormy was right, about the trial. It was good for me. 

"Uh," I begin, nervously. "Yeah, you're gonna have to ask my mom about that." 

"At least I got a few good swings at them, already," Four says, smirking. 

"Yeah," I say, slowly. "So, uh, Stormy, you want to go for a walk?" 

She looks at me with a perplexed expression on her face. 

"Not really," she states, smirking. I'm beginning to think she really likes putting me off. Fine, we'll play it her way. 

"Fine, here," I say, tossing her the black, rectangular box. "Something to say 'I love you'." 

With that, I stand up and leave, heading towards my mother's house; I need to have a talk with Evelyn. 

 

 

**Stormy's POV:**

Eric smiled at me, when he stood up to leave, so I don't worry that he might be mad at me.   
I turn the black box over in my hands, finding the edge of the lid, and opening it slowly.   
I gasp when I see the beautiful piece of jewelry. The necklace is a thin, silver chain, with a charm hanging on it. It's a heart, within a heart, and they are crisscrossed through each other, connecting them. A single, blue saphire hangs down from the center of them, like a teardrop. 

It's beautiful. 

It's expensive. 

There's an engraving on the metal back, that holds the saphire. I look closely at it. 

JC + KB

I feel a lump in my throat; this is the only present I think I have ever received. 

"Stormy, want me to help you put it on?" Four asks, smiling, as I nod my head. He turns the charm over in his fingers a moment, before fastening the clip behind my neck. "I don't remember Eric ever doing anything like that, before," he continues. "I think he might be planning on keeping you around, girl." 

I laugh at that; I hope so. 

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

This had been an odd few days.   
When I had to give up my tiny, sweet baby boy, I thought I was doing the right thing.   
I thought he would be safe. 

He was anything but.

I certainly never expected to see him again; in a way, it got easier, over time, to try and forget that he existed. But, when I heard about Erudite's plans for the rest of the factions, and the Divergents, I knew I had to change my plans. 

There was an extremely high chance that my son would be Divergent; I am, and Tobias is.   
As far as I know, Eric received an Erudite test result, but some of the Abnegation women would enter the results manually, without even telling the Divergents.   
Usually, they would enter the faction of the person's origin. 

But, there were only two people who knew Eric's true birth faction, at that point in time; myself, and Jeanine Matthews. 

I glance up from where I'm sitting cross-legged on the couch, when Eric clears his throat to gain my attention. 

"Eric," I greet him, with a small smile. "Come on, over here." I pat the couch beside me, and he moves to sit beside me, awkwardly. 

"What can I do you for?" I offer, gazing into his eyes.

My eyes...

"Four told me you were dead," he states simply, a frown furrowing his brow. 

"Oh," I reply; I guess that would be confusing. "Well, I was, sort of. It was only a matter of time before Marcus would kill me." 

"Four said that Marcus raped you, and then beat you to death, while he watched, when he was six," Eric states, quietly, shifting his eyes down momentarily. 

He must think it bothers me.

Awe.

"Yes, that's mostly true," I admit. "He did those sorts of things, often, and Tobias witnessed them, unfortunately, more often than not. That day, I had some help, though. Tris' mom, Natalie Prior, she swiped a paralytic serum and gave it to me, that morning. She told me if things got too bad, to use it, and that she would be keeping an eye out."

I take a deep breath; this was more difficult to explain to my son, than I thought it would be. 

I didn't know it still bothered me; but, now that I'm speaking of it...

"I had been out distributing food baskets to the Factionless, and got in late. When I walked in the door, Marcus had Tobias by the throat, against the wall, and Tobias was turning purple. I rushed at my husband, grabbing him by the shirt, and pulling him away from your brother. I really thought he might be dead. He was unconscious on the floor, and it didn't look like he was breathing... I-."

I take a minute to calm my breathing. That was one of the most terrifying days of my life. For all I knew, my husband had just murdered our child; his own flesh, and blood. 

Eric looks disturbed, but waits patiently for me to continue. 

I take a shakey breath, and exhale deeply. 

"I figured there was no point, anymore. I did fight with Marcus, but he overpowered me, as usual. He held me down, and raped me, screaming insults in my face, and, when he was finished, I stabbed the needle in my side, while he was distracted with pulling up his trousers. I tried to crawl away, but he kicked me, and dragged me through the house, throwing me on the kitchen floor. He beat me, and at some point, I fainted. When I woke up, I was here, in the hospital." 

Eric looks like he is fighting back tears, and I see the corner of his mouth twitch, in anger. 

He doesn't know what to say to that. 

"So," I begin again, attempting to help ease the awkwardness. "What else would you like to know?" 

"Um," he clears his throat, before continuing. "Four told me that you were addicted to Hyperopium, too?" 

Not my favorite topic, but, easier to discuss than Marcus. 

"That's true, as well," I admit, with a sigh. "I don't remember much about how I started using, though; I can't remember most of that time, at the beginning. I do remember, meeting my contact, Annie, through Jeanine, when Marcus and I were invited to a gala for all the faction officials. I wasn't taking 20 ML a day, though; 7.5 was my average, at my low point. I almost died, when I got here; the withdrawals were brutal. I just thank my lucky stars that my addiction wasn't any worse, or I would not be alive, today." 

"I black out a lot, too," Eric replies, quietly, twiddling his thumbs, and I notice his hands shaking, and his knee bouncing. 

He's craving. 

"You didn't come in here to ask for Hyperopium, did you?" I ask, suspiciously. "I can tell that you want it." 

"No!" he says, defensively. "No, I don't want it, no more than necessary. I mean, I do want it, but I don't want it, more." 

I believe him. 

"Have I told you, yet, that I'm so proud of you?" I beam at him, the smile lighting up my face, and I can feel it reaching my ears. 

Eric blushes, glancing down, and he nods. 

"Yeah, you did, the first day," he tells me. "With your eyes, when you found out that I was a Dauntless leader." 

"Was I that obvious?" I ask, with a chuckle. 

"Yep," he says, with a small laugh. 

"Eric, I'm worried about you," I confess, truthfully. "With everything that's happened that last few years, and the last few days, especially..." 

"I'm fine," he says, harshly. Something about his eyes has changed; he looks similar to the way he did, that first day, when Tobias was telling me about what Jeanine did to him. 

"I-, I just-." 

Eric stands, quickly, storming out of the house. 

I feel tears burning in my eyes, as he retreats. 

What was that about?

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

What is going on with me? 

Why am I feeling like this?

It's like I can't stop myself... 

I ran away from my mother, after yelling at her for no reason, and now my feet are dragging me away, towards the cafeteria. 

Why am I going to the cafeteria?

My head feels fuzzy... 

I really... 

Think...

I.....

Where _am_ I? 

I don't recognize this place... 

"Hey, Eric!" 

I turn around quickly, as Four runs up to me. 

"What the fuck do you want, Stiff? Where the hell am I?" I glare at him, coldly, as I feel my eyes darken. 

"What?" he looks at me, confused. 

He's such an idiot; I hate Four. 

"Did I fucking stutter?" I say darkly, and he shrinks back a bit, as I smirk. 

"Eric, what's going on? Maybe you should sit-." 

I punch him in the mouth; I'm sick of hearing his stupid voice. 

I need to find Jeanine. 

I don't remember why... 

I just know I need to find Jeanine. 

 

 

**Four's POV:**

There's no fucking way Eric should've been able to throw a punch like that, right now. 

I don't know what's going on, but I have a bad feeling it's got something to do with the reintroduction of a certain serum to his bloodstream. 

I spit a decent amount of blood from my mouth, before looking up to see Eric, heading for the building's exit. Several people have noticed the altercation. 

"Eric!" I yell, running after him. "Where the fuck do you think you're going?" 

"Back to Erudite, what do you think, _idiot_?" he growls at me, darkly. 

"Why?" I ask, trying to keep up with him; seriously, what is going on here? 

"I have to get back to Jeanine," he states, simply, taking long strides, no signs of the limp he struggled with only a little while ago. 

"What do you mean?" I'm becoming anxious, as several Dauntless follow us, in case shit goes down. 

"I-," he hesitates, and halts in his tracks, momentarily. "I don't remember..." 

I sigh, deeply; maybe he's coming back to, now. 

I'm incorrect. 

"I just know that I have to get back to Jeanine," he states simply, moving towards the door, again. 

I run to block his path, as he tries to get past me. 

"Move, Stiff!" he screams, in anger. He grabs for me, but I duck to the side, before moving to block his exit, once again. 

"A little help would be nice!" I hint loudly, to the spectators surrounding us. I must admit, I'm little worried for everyone's safety. 

"Eric?!" 

Oh, no. 

This won't be good. 

Stormy runs up, then, standing right in front of Eric, reaching out for him. 

He jumps back a bit, away from her touch. 

She looks hurt. 

"Eric," she pleads quietly. "Eric, it's just me... It's me, Stormy?" 

"I don't fucking know you, get out of my way!" he screams at her; this is painful to watch. 

"But, Eric," she tries again, reaching out to touch his face. 

That won't end well. 

Eric slaps her hand away, and then pushes her to the ground, with enough force, that I hear her wrist snap. 

She doesn't cry; it must be broken. 

"Detain him!" I call out the order, and I watch as my brother attempts to fight off anyone getting close to him. 

His attempts are in vain, though; there's about 30 Dauntless, and 20 or so Factionless, against one Eric. 

But, it's _not_ Eric...

"Let me go!" he screams, as they cuff him, and drag him off towards the holding cells. "You can't fucking keep me here! You'll regret this!" 

What the _fuck_ is going on?


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Author's Note:** Hi. So, I'm having a crisis, right now. Well, technically, a couple of hours ago. Won't go into all the details, but I have to take my son and leave my home in a couple of days. I'm leaving my husband. He's abusive. Nuff said. I won't have regular internet access at my grandparents house, but I can probably get them to take me to a starbucks once or twice a week, and I'll upload my chapters, then. I will still be writing, I just won't be able to update as often. And I'll update as much as I can before I go, but I've got a lot of packing to do over the next couple of days, so I don't know how much I'll be able to write. But I'll try to do at least a chapter a day, until I leave. Alright, that's all. Thanks

**Eric's POV:**

Stupid fucking traitors!

How dare they keep me here, like this. 

When I get my hands on Four...

I growl as I think about my nemisis.

"Fucking let me out of here!" I scream, kicking the metal bars that separate me from freedom. I scream again, in frustration, before pacing back, and forth in front of the cage-like door. 

What the fuck is this place?

How the hell did I get here?

Why don't I remember anything? 

The only thing that I can seem to remember, is Jeanine, and the fact that she needs me. I wonder if she'll send a team to rescue me. I wonder if she even knows I'm gone. 

A woman, appearing to be in her mid-thirties, approaches my cell, and I move to press my forehead to the bars, glaring at her, darkly. 

"Eric," she begins, with a worried expression. 

She should be worried; I'll kill all of these bastards with my bare hands. 

"Eric, we are all very confused, about whatever is going on with you," she says, simply. "We're just trying to understand why the sudden change?" 

"I have no fucking idea what you're talking about!" I scream at her, slamming the bar with my fist; it doesn't even sting, but I see the bruises beginning to form. "Let me the fuck out of here! If I don't get back to Erudite, I'll die. What good would I be to you traitor _scum_ , then, huh?" 

She hesitates, before speaking again. 

"Hyperopium?" 

"Not that it's any of your fucking business," I spit venomously. "But, yes, Hyperopium. And it doesn't take but a couple of days to go into withdrawals, so pretty soon, you'll have a bloody mess on your hands. But, don't worry, I should still be able to take you all out, when Jeanine comes for me." 

"What is the last thing that you remember?" she says, quietly, searching my cold eyes, with her soft ones. 

Something about her eyes looks familiar... 

"I-," I don't know. What is the last thing I remember? "I-, Jeanine." 

It's the only thing that I can think of, right now, so it's not a lie. 

"You don't remember me? Or your brother? Or Stormy?" she says, quirking an eyebrow in question. 

"I don't know you, I don't have any siblings, and who the fuck is Stormy?" I reply, angrily, growing weary of this conversation. 

"Mother," Four runs up, and I scowl at him in disgust.

I hate Four. 

Did he just call her "Mother"?

 

 

**Four's POV:**

Whatever this is, it fucking sucks ass.

I have to get to the bottom of this, and my idea... well, it's the only thing I can think of.

Tris is going to hate me, for this. 

"Mother," I say again, while staring at Eric. "I need to speak with you, in private."

"Okay, yeah," she says, and we walk off to the other end of the hall to speak, all the while Eric screams insults at us. I try to block him out. 

"What's up?" she inquires, folding her arms, uncomfortable with this whole situation. 

"I have a theory," I begin, taking a deep breath. "I think the Hyperopium, that Jeanine gave to Caleb, to give Eric, might be a modified version." 

She opens her mouth, about to speak, but I quickly continue.

"We can find out if that's true, and get the regular Hyperopium," I explain, quickly. "But, to do that, we're gonna have to send Caleb back to Jeanine. She trusts him, and he can run tests on the serum that we have, and in the meantime, he can smuggle the regular serum to us, from Erudite." 

"What? We can't-."

"We don't have any other options, right now," I tell her, dead serious. "That stuff is turning Eric into a monster, and he hates himself, enough, as it is. He doesn't need any more blood on his hands. Jeanine has no reason not to trust Caleb; she has no reason to detain him. He will just tell her that Eric is dead; that we executed him at Candor, and that we've moved on away from here, past the fence. She has no reason not to believe him." 

I feel like I'm begging her. 

"Okay," she says, dejectedly. She knows that I'm right. 

"Alright, have Caleb meet me in my office in five minutes... better have Stormy, and Tris there, too," she concedes, quietly. 

"When I get out of here, I will fucking kill you!" Eric screams from his cell down the hall, and I don't doubt him, the way he is right now. 

I hurry off to find Caleb, sprinting away as fast as I can, blinking away the tears that threaten to spill from my eyes. 

I have to get my brother back.

 

 

**Caleb's POV:**

Whatever that was in the cafeteria, was disturbing, to say the least. 

Not long after the incident, Four came running up, telling me I had to meet with Evelyn. 

I walk through the door to her office, and notice that Four, Tris, and Stormy, are all here as well. 

No one looks happy. 

I sit quickly, crossing my ankles and placing my hands in my lap, before looking to Evelyn expectantly. 

She offers me, specifically, a small, sad smile, before she begins.

"I have asked you all to come here, about Eric," she starts, her eyes focused on me, occasionally glancing to my sister, and Four. "Caleb, we have a very large favor to ask of you, and believe me when I say, if there was another way, we would take it." 

I gulp, thickly, suddenly feeling very nervous, and my palms become sweaty.   
I wipe them on my jeans, and wait for Evelyn to continue. 

"We need you to go back to Erudite."

"What?!" my sister jumps up from her seat, shrugging off the hand that Four reached up to place on her shoulder. "What the fuck for?!"

"Tris, I need you to calm down, okay? He'll be fine, alright? And it shouldn't take more than a few days, at the most, and then he'll be coming back to us, okay?" 

Tris is shaking, visibily, but sits down, crossing her arms over her chest, waiting for her boyfriend's mother to explain herself. 

"Alright, Jeanine was expecting Caleb to return to her, with or without Eric. Caleb, you're going to go to Erudite, and you're going to take the serum that Jeanine sent with you. You're going to test the serum, to see if it has been modified. While you are there, you're going to smuggle the regular Hyperopium out to us, okay? Four, and a team of my men will be there, to meet you, when you do. You're going to tell her that Eric was executed at Candor, and that we have moved away from here, to go outside the fence. She has no reason not to trust you..." 

She hesitates, and takes a deep breath. 

"The difficult part, for you," she begins again. "Is that you're going to have to do whatever Jeanine asks you to do while you're there. She'll think you've been taking the serum like she told you to, and Eric can't think about anything, except for Jeanine. Right now, he would do anything she asked him to do. You're going to have to do that, too." 

I don't want to do this.

"No!" Tris stands again, waving her arms around. "No! I forbid it! You can't just send him out there as your puppet! I'm sorry about what's happened to Eric, but he's brought this on himself!" 

"Shut up!" Stormy stands, as well. "Don't talk about him like that! You don't know what he's been through!"

"We were all at his trial!" Tris retaliates, in her defence. 

"Did you go into his fear landscape?!" Stormy is shaking, in rage; full of emotion. "I did! I had to watch what happened to him! It's not as black and white, as it sounded at Candor!" 

Tris calms down a bit, as Stormy begins to cry in her anger, clenching her fists as tears silently flow down her face. 

Stormy had told me the details of that night. 

Stormy is right. 

I love my sister, but, like I said, she was too selfish for Abnegation. 

"I'll do it," I state, simply, slightly surprising myself at how calm I sound, and feel. 

Tris opens her mouth in shock. 

"Caleb-." 

"I said I'm _fucking_ doing it, Beatrice!" 

Did I just use profanity? 

The thought makes my eyes widen. 

"Oh, Beatrice," I begin. "I shouldn't have used that word, I'-, I apologize. But, I am doing this." 

"Caleb-," she tries to assuade me, again.

"Wouldn't you want Eric to go, if our roles were reversed?" 

She has nothing to say to that; she knows the answer to that. 

"Thank you," Stormy tells me, hugging my neck and kissing my cheek. "Thank you." 

Four nods at me, in his own silent form of gratitude. 

Is my Abegation showing?

 

_Two hours later_

 

"Be careful, please," my sister whispers in my ear, as she hugs me goodbye. I assure her that I will do my best. 

Stormy has already said her goodbyes, opting to stay back with her friends, not able to cope. 

"Caleb," Four says, quietly. "This means a lot; I wish there was another way. Here." 

He hands me a small pin with the Erudite symbol. 

"What is this for?" I inquire, turning it over between my fingers. 

"It's for contacting us," he explains, as he places a hand on my shoulder. "There's a camera, and a microphone, on the front of it, okay? Keep it on you at all times. When you need to contact us, press the center of the eye, and it's on. Press it again, it turns off. You won't be able to hear us, but just know that when you press that button, we see you and hear you, okay?" 

"Thank you," I tell him, quietly, the nerves starting to twist uncomfortably in the pit of my stomach. 

This shouldn't take but a few days, then I'll be back with my family. 

I never thought I would be technically Factionless, but, I have felt more at home here, than anywhere else I've lived, Abnegation included. 

I take a deep breath, and walk determinedly towards the large white and blue building in the center of the city. 

Here goes something.

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

I awaken in a foggy haze, blinking my eyes to adjust in the darkness. 

Where am I? 

I stand up, and realize, with a sinking feeling, that I'm in a small, concrete cell, with iron bars for a door. 

"Hello?" I call out, listening for some sign that I'm not alone. 

There is nothing, but the sounds of labored breathing and snores, coming from somewhere to my left. 

How did I get in here?

The last thing I remember, was talking with my mother. 

I feel a sharp pain behind my eyes, and I see bright spots take over my vision. 

I cry out in pain, dropping to my knees with my head in my hands. 

"Shit!" 

The pain grows more intense, and my head starts swimming, making my vision spin furiously. 

"Stormy?! Four!" I scream out, hoping for someone to hear me. 

Am I even still at Factionless?

Were we attacked?

Did Jeanine find out that I had betrayed her?

"Mom!" 

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

"Stormy?! Four!" 

"Was that Eric?" Stormy asks, jumping up off the couch, in surprise. 

"Mom!" 

I stand as well, and we run to the holding cells, flipping on the lights as we go. 

We rush to his cell, to find him doubled over on the cold floor, clutching his head and gasping for breath. 

"Eric!" I cry, fumbling for the keys. 

"Mother, don't do that," Tobias warns, as he comes up beside me. "How do we know it's not a trick?" 

"Look at him, Tobias! That's your _brother_!" I exclaim, wanting nothing more than to run in and just hug him, like I should've done that first day. 

Tobias sighs, and turns to look at Eric, his gaze faltering at the sight. 

"Four?" Eric calls weakly, from the floor. "Please... I-, I'm so confused." 

His face contorts in pain, as he squeezes his eyes shut. 

"I'm so confused. I don't like to be confused. I don't like to be confused. I don't like to be confused. I'm so confused. I don't like to be confused." 

"Open the door," Tobias says, quickly, something changing in his eyes. "Hold on, bro; we'll get you out of there, okay?" 

There's something I don't recognize in the tone of my eldest son, but I can tell that Eric's response has pained him. 

I have no idea what that's about. 

"I'm so confused. I don't like to be confused. I'm so confused. I don't like to be confused. I don't like to be confused. I don't like to... I don't... con-..."

Eric has halted his odd rant, and I swing the door open, quickly, rushing to his side, as does Tobias, and Stormy stands close, but hangs back a bit to give us room. 

Eric stares up into my eyes. "Mom?" he asks weakly. "What happened? I remember... I remember we were talking..." 

"Shhh," I tell him, in a soothing voice. "We'll explain everything, shortly, but first, let's get you out of here, okay?" 

Eric nods his head, slowly, in agreement. 

 

 

**Four's POV:**

Eric presses his palm to his head, appying pressure, as I pick him up off the floor. 

I didn't realize he'd lost that much weight. 

He weighs less than Tris. 

He might even weigh less than Hector... the little Dauntless-born boy. 

"Oh my God," he says, trying to sound sarcastic. "Please, spare me the shame of being carried. I can fucking walk." 

"Can you, now?" I reply, trying to hold back the small smile that longs to play on my lips. 

That's my brother.

I set him on his feet, on the floor, and he would have fallen face first to the ground if I hadn't reached out to grab him. 

"Yep," I tell him, as I pick him up into my arms, again. "You can walk later."

 

 

**Jeanine's POV:**

"Caleb?!" The boy who transferred from Abnegation has returned... without Eric. 

"Jeanine," he inclines his head towards me, his eyes never leaving mine. 

I wonder if he's taken the serum?

"Where is my Eric?" I ask, my voice not much more than a squeak. I dread the answer that I know is coming; Caleb would have brought him here, if he was alive. 

"You might want to sit down," he suggests, going to sit in the blue chair in front of my desk.

Eric's chair...

Caleb explains the whole thing, in a simple, blunt, yet somehow soft manner.

He's a true Erudite. 

My new toy.

There is no reason to shed any more tears for the loss of my young, bad-boy; the tears won't bring him back. 

I have Caleb now. 

He is mine, to corrupt; to taint.

To destroy...

I smirk at him, darkly. 

The fun begins.


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So, I've been packing for a few hours, now. I don't have much that is salvagable. I've also got a nice, big purple bruise under my left eye, and I can see like five, angry red veins that have busted in my eye. I'm not doing so great, and while I was packing I started crying, and shit. So, I decided to take a break from my miserableness, and instead, I'm opting for writing about Eric's, and everyone else's miserableness. I need a fucking distraction. I'm fucking paranoid, too, now. My roomate got in at 3:30AM EST, and had just gotten the text I sent her. She wanted me to talk about it, and shit, and now I fucking know how hard it is to talk about that shit that I've been making my/VR's characters talk about. I need a fucking distraction. Here's something. Don't know how it's gonna be, but, here it is, anyway.

_Three days later_

**Stormy's POV:**

"How is he doing?" 

I'm sitting in the cafeteria, with Christina, just playing with my food, while we talk. 

I sigh, deeply, and cradle my fractured wrist to my chest. 

"Not good," I reply, shortly. "The last dose of Hyperopium he had was the modified serum, and he's already hit withdrawals, again. They're different this time, and worse, too." 

"Have you heard anything from Caleb?" 

"Yes," I hate to think of what Jeanine is making him do. "He finished cross-analyzing both forms of the serum, and the results were astounding, to say the least." 

"What were the results?" Christina presses, as Uriah, and Chaotic, join us at the table, listening intently. 

"It was just regular Hyperopium," I begin, dropping my fork on my plate; giving up on even trying to eat. "But, it was cut with several things. One of them, was the same mind-control serum that Jeanine used on Four. Another, was just a hormone supplement. There were also multiple forms of reverse-antipsychotics, and hallucinogens; which is the part that's kicking in, now." 

"What's a hallucigen?" Uriah asks, and, I almost smile at that. 

"It's hallucinogen, moron!" Chaotic smacks the back of Uriah's head, and he rubs the area while glaring at her, feigning hurt feelings. 

"I'm Dauntless-born, don't be surprised by my meat-headedness!" Uriah retaliates, before turning back to me. "So, what's a hal-lu-cin-o-gen do, anyway?"

"It makes him see things that aren't there, like, he could think he's swimming in the ocean, or burning alive at a stake. Basically, it's like he's going in and out of the fear sim, with no way to control it." 

"Oh, shit," Uriah says, looking crestfallen. I wonder if Eric realizes how much all of the Dauntless care about him?

"What was the hormone?" Chaotic inquires, leaning forward on her elbows. 

"Testosterone," I answer, simply. 

"That has something to do with his balls!" Uriah grinns, madly, before Chaotic smacks him again, harder than last time. "The fuck was that for? I thought I got one right, finally?"

Christina seems to be suppressing a giggle, for my sake, but, hey, at least Uriah's trying, right?

"No," I explain, sighing deeply. The reality of what the hormone does when mixed with the other harmful chemicals, is anything but funny. "Yes, testosterone can be given to older men who have problems with erectile disfunction. But, the hormone serves several different purposes. In this case, it reacts with the other serums that it has been cut with, increasing their potency. It also increases agitation, and rage; the Hyperopium was cut with the hormone to increase his chances of being deadly dangerous."

"What's erectile dis-. Ow! Seriously?!"

"Shut up, Uriah!" Christina, and Chaotic yell, at the same time. 

"Look," I say, standing up from my seat. "I actually think I'm going to try to get some sleep. I need to sit with Eric when Four goes out later." 

The girls bid me farewell, and Uriah waves half-heartedly, still rubbing the back of his head, as I head back to Evelyn's house, for some much-needed rest. 

 

 

**Caleb's POV:**

I haven't taken the serum. 

I don't plan on taking it. 

Jeanine doesn't watch to see if I do it, or not; she trusts me. 

I've discovered that I'm a pretty good actor. 

I overheard her talking to Annie, two days ago, about how I was gonna fall all over myself to get to fuck her. 

Yes, I've added the word "fuck" to my mental vocabulary. 

Anyway, from what I gathered from the conversation, I'm supposed to want to fuck her, badly. 

So, I acted like it. 

It worked, anyway. 

I sigh, deeply, as I gather the vials of the regular form of Hyperopium into an old rucksack, before exiting my apartment, and stepping out into the hallway. 

It's late afternoon, but it will be dark soon. 

I hurry through the long, white corridors, opting to take the stairs instead of the elevator; I'm less likely to be discovered. 

It isn't hard to sneak out; there's no one around. 

I exit the doors of Erudite headquarters, and walk briskly to the underpass where the train depot is. 

I'm supposed to meet Four, here, soon.

 

 

**Four's POV:**

Eric looks awful. 

It's like he doesn't even realize that I'm here with him, most of the time. 

Occasionally, he'll speak to me, recognizing who I am. 

At the current moment, he is having a hallucination, of some sort, and he's speaking things don't make any sense to me. 

"That's where it was!" he laughs, looking towards the ceiling, and addressing no one in particular. "Dad ate it!" 

I really don't know what to make of the things he says. 

"Don't you hear it? The fucking drums are so loud!" he laughs again, manically. 

I feel a brief moment of dread at that, as an uncomfortable wave of deja vu washes over me, remembering when we almost lost him, only days ago. 

It doesn't last long, though, as he carries on a conversation with a being, completely invisible to me. 

"What do you think, Four?"

I'm startled, as I look to him, to find him staring into my eyes. "What?"

"What do you think?"

"What do I think, about what?" I ask, in confusion. Eric laughs, hysterically.

"'What do I think about what', ha!" 

He's turned his gaze back to the ceiling, once more, and I rub my face, roughly, with my hands. 

It has been going on like this for hours. 

Over the past few days, Eric has lost even more weight, and gained a pale, grey pallor, and a dead look in his eyes. 

Caleb better pull through, on this... 

"Four?"

I turn my eyes to Eric, again, expecting him to still be in a hallucination. 

"Yeah, bro?"

"I'd be willing to... bet money, that I'm... still, better-looking... than, you."

I crack him a smile. "Yeah, probably."

"I'm going to... die, for real... this time, aren't... I?" his voice is so weak, I can't tell if the possibility bothers him, or would seem to be a relief. 

"I'm not gonna let that happen," I tell him, with every intention of keeping my word. 

"Don't... make promises... that you can't... keep."

I feel a lump form in my throat; he's right.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to prevent that from happening," I correct myself, feeling the tears burning my eyes, as I try to blink them back. 

"Four?"

"Yeah, bro?"

"I just wanted... to say that... I'm sorry, for... everything I ever... did to... you," his eyes are half-lidded, and a pained grimace graces his pale features, as he struggles to speak. "And, I... wanted to... tell you, before... I go, that, I... love you, brother." 

Eric's eyes close, and for a brief moment of panic, I think he's gone.   
But, then I notice the steady rise, and fall of his chest.

He's sleeping. 

I clasp my hands together, on the side of his bed, and rest my mouth against my hands, before bowing my head and falling to pieces. 

I cry, and sob, for a long time.

I cry for my brother. 

I cry, because I don't know if he'll make it. 

I cry, because I'm scared he won't.

"I love you, too, Eric."

I love you, too. 

 

_Later that afternoon_

I see Caleb sitting on the far side of the underpass, and quicken my pace; Drew, Tom, and Kane hurry to keep up. 

He stands, as we approach. 

"How long you been waiting?" I ask, accepting the bag from him, and lifting the lid to inspect the contents inside. There's more than enough Hyperopium to detox Eric. 

I breathe a sigh of relief, and a feel a grateful smile pull across my lips. 

"Not long," Caleb replies, leaning against a stack of concrete bricks. "About five minutes, maybe?" 

"Thank you," I tell him, earnestly. "For this."

He doesn't say anything, for a minute, and then, "Do I get to go back tomorrow?"

I'm surprised at his question; is he doubting us?

"Of course you do," I tell him, truthfully. 

I notice his face no longer holds that Abnegation innocence that it had, only three days prior. His stance tells of despair, and hopelessness. His eyes, have grown darker, as if much of the life in him, has died. 

"Are you holding up okay, so far?" I ask, quietly.   
"Yeah, sure am," he says, sarcastically. "Having a fucking ball in there with the Noses."

I sigh, sadly; I can only imagine what Jeanine does with him, behind closed doors. 

"Look," I tell him, gently. "I owe you for this."

"Yeah," he says, nodding his head. "You do." 

And with that, he turns, and walks back towards the Erudite compound.

 

 

**Jeanine's POV:**

"That little...!" I scream, as I pull at my hair. "He's been double-crossing us?!" 

I turn my gaze back to the security feed, as I see a Dauntless traitor take a bag from Caleb, and leave with three Factionless men. 

Caleb will be returning here, at any moment. 

Stupid, fucking, no-good...

"Annie?!" I scream, turning my head in her direction. 

The ginger-haired woman scurries over to me quickly, waiting for my orders. 

"Bring five doses of HyOp.2," I demand, darkly. "And hurry!"

Annie runs off to fulfill my wishes, as I stand in front of the monitors, fuming, as Caleb walks through the front door of Erudite Headquarters. 

 

 

**Tris' POV:**

"Hector!"  
"Christina!"   
"Help!"

I jump up out of my seat, quickly, too see what is going on.   
I don't sit with my usual friends, anymore; they hate me for killing Will. 

I had been sitting with a girl, named Rebel, and her boyfriend, Daniel, when the screaming began. 

"Hand over the traitors, Tris Prior and Kaitlynn Benson, to Erudite, or every day, more death will follow." The disturbing words come from the ledge above, and I look up to see Christina, Marlene, and Hector, moving dangerously close to the edge. 

They speak, and move, in unison; they are under a simulation. 

Tori has moved to stand beside me, and we share a fearful gaze only briefly, before Tori whispers, "Go!" 

And then, we go. 

"Hand over the traitors, Tris Prior and Kaitlynn Benson, or every day, more death will follow." 

I'm climbing up the side of the ledge as fast as I can move; we are running out of time, they are about to walk off the ledge. 

"Hand over the traitors, Tris Prior and Kaitlynn Benson, or every day, more death will follow." 

I'm almost there; they're only one step away. 

"Hector!" Tori screams, as she jumps and grabs the boy, knocking him back to the floor, safely away from the edge. 

"Christina!" I yell, as she takes the final step; she's falling. I move quickly, and grab her hand, as she hangs limply beneath me, above the cafeteria. 

"No!"

I look down, and see Four take a step back, as Marlene falls to her death, with a loud crack. 

"Tris?!" I look back to Christina, still hanging on to me; she's out of the sim.   
"Tris, help me!"   
Tori, and I, pull Christina to safety, and then I lie on my back at the edge of that ledge, and cry. 

 

_Three hours later_

"I know what you're thinking." 

"Oh yeah?" I say, turning my face away, and wiping the tears from my eyes. I ran to Evelyn's house, to cry in peace in mine and Four's bed. 

"Mhm," Four replies, simply, wrapping his arms around me, and burying his nose in the top of my head. "But I'm not gonna let you do it." 

There is still some Abnegation inside of me... and Erudite... and Dauntless. 

I pop the buttons of my shirt open, as Four catches my lips with his, and I slide my shirt over my head, as he removes his, as well. 

This may well be the last time we get to be together.


	18. Origins One-Shot: Choices

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this chapter is sort of a "blast to the past" one-shot that inspired Hollow Body Got A Hold On Me, and When the Sky Begins to Fall. It starts off 18 years in the past. I wrote it about a month ago, when I was going through some dark shit, as a kind of release. But, yeah, so here's this. And it'll kind of explain a little bit more about just what Hyperopium is, though, just a bit. We'll learn more later:) Anyways, here's the thing...

_18 years ago_

**Evelyn's POV:**

I'm pregnant.

I wish I wasn't; I wish that this was some horrible nightmare.

Marcus probably won't be happy with me.

"You're about four months along, now," Natalie informs me, quietly. Natalie Prior is one of the only friends I have here in Abnegation. She is a sweet, kind and even-tempered woman, with light brown hair, and gentle green eyes. She is also one, of only two midwives that work in our faction.

"Why didn't you come to me, sooner?" she questions, as she pulls my shirt back down over my abdomen, where she had been previously pressing around; it was rather uncomfortable.

"I just... didn't think I was pregnant," I reply, nervously, as I sit up on the plain, grey, slightly scratchy couch.

"Even though you were missing your period, for months, consecutively?" she presses, raising an eyebrow, and scooting closer beside me.

I think I knew.

I did know.

I was in denial; I didn't want it to be true.

When I don't answer, Natalie places an arm around my shoulder, squeezing gently.

"I'm always here, if you need me," she says, with a sad, knowing smile. Everyone in Abnegation has to know; our's is the only house in the close-knit faction that is never quiet.

_Later that evening_

I have just finished placing dinner on the table, when Marcus slams the door open. He stomps into the kitchen, and practically throws himself into his chair.

"What's for dinner?" he says gruffly, running a hand through his greasy, stringy hair. I attempt to swallow, nervously, before plastering a fake smile on my face.

"Cabbage, and potatoes," I reply, as I take my seat beside him, lifting the spoon to my mouth, savoring the flavors. I've had a much better appetite, as of late.

"You're getting _fat_ ," he states, suddenly, as he begins to eat his dinner, as well.

I almost choke on my food.

"About that..." I begin, anxiously. I'm very worried about how my husband might react.

"Well?" he asks, growing impatient, and setting his eating utensil down beside his bowl.

"I'm with child," I tell him, barely above a whisper. I close my eyes tightly, expecting the worse, and I try to brace myself for what I know is coming.

It never does.

I open my eyes, and look to my husband.

He is smiling.

A genuine, warm smile; one that I haven't seen in months.

"We're going to have a baby?" he asks, his voice soft, and gentle.

I nod, in confusion; this sort of reaction was unexpected.

I'm certainly not looking forward to children; not with Marcus, anyway.

I married the 20-year-old straight out of my initiation this year, and, only later did I find out what a mistake that was.

**Jeanine's POV:**

"We need to keep this quiet," I inform the girl, with a threatening glare. Annie just finished initiation; she was the most promising transfer. She was in born in Amity, and, I must admit, when she first transferred I wasn't expecting much.

But then, she excelled in every subject, putting to shame, even the Erudite-born initiates.

Recently, she has been researching the use of narcotics and recreational drug use, from the world before the Wars. Her research has fascinated me, from the very start, and I am eager to see the finished product.

Annie nods her head, quickly, and I smile.

"Now, what are we looking at, here?" I ask her, as my eyes travel over the many different colored vials in front of us. Annie picks up one, from the end of the tray, holding it up to the light. It is a red color; almost the color of blood.

" _This_ ," she says, proudly, as she hands it to me, and I accept it greedily. "This is Hyperopium; it is the most successful serum out of the lot of them."

I turn the vial over in my hands, watching the swirling liquid inside of it, closely; in intellectual wonder.

"What is it? What does it do?"

"Well," she begins, with a smile on her face, as she pushes her glasses further up her freckled nose. "I made the base form from lachryma papaveris, just like some of our other pain relief serums. But I've processed it with benzodiazepine, acetylcodeine, rivaroxaban, antinociception, as well as morphine diacetate. And we-."

Even I didn't understand that.

"In English, please," I glare at her darkly, relishing the fear in her eyes.

"We've increased the potency of the prepared opium 400 percent, and it is highly addictive. If the subject suddenly quit taking the finished product as it is, psychosis, seizures and bleeding were the most common side effects in the animal subjects. The addition of the acetylcodeine, along with the morphine diacetate, in the enhanced form it is, would potentially allow someone critically injured to barely register that they were injured at all. Say their arm was cut off, or they were shot multiple times; it wouldn't faze them, if they were regularly taking doses of Hyperopium."

"When can you start testing on human subjects?" I ask her, in awe; this will be perfect.

"I need a few more weeks?"

"Whatever you need, for this," I begin. "Come to me; it will be yours."

This is just what I need.

_Six months later_

**Evelyn's POV:**

Marcus holds my arm, tightly, as I step of the car that Jeanine Matthews had sent for us. Her driver pulls away, as we step onto the sidewalk out front of Erudite headquarters.

"Was it really necessary that I come to this?" I ask, feeling awkward. I am tired from cleaning all day. My backs hurts. My feet hurt.

I want to go to sleep.

"Now, now, Evelyn," Marcus says, gritting his teeth as we make our way into the building. "I'm the leader of Abnegation, and you are the leader's wife. This is an important social event. You should feel honored."

"I feel hungry," I tell him, with a snort.

"You can eat," he retorts, as Jeanine Matthews approaches us in the large dining hall. They've decoracted the place with lots of gold-colored ornaments, and soft, classical music drifts through the atmosphere.

"Marcus! Evelyn!"

I really don't like Jeanine, but I don't have a reason not too; I'm not very good at being selfless. I can't be bothered to fake a smile, right now.

"Jeanine," my husband squeezes the Erudite leader's hand, gently.

"Evelyn, you look like you're about to pop! Would you like to sit down?" Jeanine asks, placing her hand on my stomach. I want to say something snarky about how she should keep her hands to herself, but Marcus would kill me, even if I am pregnant. Sitting down sounds nice, anyway.

"I would love to sit down," I tell her truthfully. "I'm actually starving, too."

"Evelyn!" Marcus whispers, harshly.

"What? I'm hungry," I hope I don't pay for this later.

"Of course!" Jeanine replies, happily. "You are eating for two, you know."

Jeanine holds my arm as she leads me to a chair at her table, helping me sit down, and she rushes off to see about food for me.

Marcus takes a seat beside me.

"You know, you're _really_ pushing it," he starts, darkly. "Talking to me like that."

"I know," I answer him, lowering my gaze and placing my hand on my large, round stomach. "I'm very sorry. I guess it's just hormones."

"Well," he says, clearing his throat. "Try to control them."

I feel movement in my stomach as the little one changes position. It feels more like a "big one", than a little one, though. I'm huge.

I smile when the baby starts kicking.

"The baby is kicking," I announce, as Jeanine returns with a plate full of meat and vegtables. "Would you like to see?"

Jeanine nods, furiously, kneeling down beside me, and placing both her hands over my bulging belly.

"I feel it!" she exclaims, excitedly. "She must be hitting out with her little fists, too, unless she's got four legs."

I laugh at that, the first genuine laugh I've produced in as long as I can remember; at least since before I married Marcus.

"I don't actually know the gender, yet," I admit, still smiling.

"You haven't had an ultrasound?" Jeanine inquires, a look of surprise on her sharp features.

"No," I shake my head, as I answer her. "In Abnegation, we feel that it doesn't matter if it's a girl, or a boy. We just let nature take its course, and surprise us."

"Of course," Jeanine says, smiling softly. "Well, I wish you all the best."

She returns to her seat, straightening her long, blue skirt as she places her hands on her lap, and crosses her ankles.

"Do you have any children?" I ask, curiously. I don't think I even know if she has a husband.

Her face falls, at my words, and I wonder briefly if I've stepped over an invisible line when my husband glares at me.

"No," she says thinly. "I am unable to bear children."

"Oh," I say, looking down at my stomach. "I'm so sorry."

I feel my face contort in discomfort, as I feel my belly tighten up, and I gasp.

"Evelyn? What's wrong?" Marcus inquires, while I struggle for breath as I feel my stomach tighten, once again.

"I-, I just," I take a deep breath, leaning back in my chair. "I don't feel very well, all of a sudden."

"Annie!" Jeanine stands, and beckons a red-headed girl over to our table.

The girl leans down in front of me, placing her hands on either side of my stomach.

I feel the tightening again, and Annie looks up at me, with a grin on her face.

"You're in labor!" she exclaims. "Would you like me to take you over to Medical?"

This is really happening.

I feel my eyes fill with tears, at the thought.

I don't want my child growing up in the house with Marcus, but I don't have a choice.

Damn Abnegation, and their non-tolerance of birth control.

"No," I say, quickly. "No, I have a midwife at Abnegation."

"I'll have my car escort you back, then," Jeanine says, walking away quickly.

This is really happening.

_Five hours later_

"Come on, Eve, push!" Natalie urges, as she kneels down between my legs. "Come on, you're almost there!"

I grunt in pain as I comply, gritting my teeth, and gripping the bedsheets tightly.

"One more time, I see his head!"

I give one final push, and then I feel a slight emptiness as the child inside of me slips out into Natalies waiting hands.

"It's a boy!" she says, with tears in her eyes. She wraps my son in a grey blanket after tying off the umbilical cord, and clipping it.

She places him on my chest, and I gaze into deep brown eyes.

I smile at him.

"Tobias," I coo, softly, reaching up weakly to touch his soft, brown locks of hair.

"Evelyn."

I look back to Natalie, the tone in her voice filling my mind with worry.

"You aren't done, yet," she says softly, taking Tobias from me. She exits the room, and returns moments later, empty-handed.

"What do you mean?" I ask, as I feel my stomach contract, once again.

"You've got twins," she explains, as she kneels back in between my legs, again.

It doesn't take long, this time, and within minutes, I feel the emptiness inside me. This time, I feel completely empty.

"It's another boy," she tells me softly, as she hands me another child bundled in a grey blanket.

His eyes are a deep blue-grey, like mine, and he has soft, blonde curls.

I am about to pick a name, but I hesitate.

Marcus doesn't know that this child exists.

"Natalie," I whisper, and she leans close to me, petting the sweet baby as she does so. "Take him away from here. Get him out of Abnegation."

**Jeanine's POV:**

I smile at the baby in my arms.

I want to keep him, for myself, but it would be too easily noticed, and I don't have an explanation for the leader of Abnegation.

I rock the child softly, as he sleeps, twirling his blonde curls in my fingers, and I hear him sigh, softly.

"Yes?"

The door that I had knocked on, opens and Chris Courtney stands before me, staring at the sleeping infant in my arms.

"Can I come inside? I need to discuss something with you and your wife."

"Of course," he replies, quickly, moving aside to make way for my entry.

_Six years later_

**Jai's POV:**

"Jai! Put that puppy down, and come eat your breakfast!"

"Yes, mother!" I yell towards the kitchen.

I hug the little lab to my chest, tightly, before dropping him to the floor and running to my mother.

I struggle to climb up on the high stools, but eventually I succeed in sitting myself to the table. I dig into my oatmeal, hurriedly; I might be running late for my first day of school.

I finish quickly, and leave quite a mess for my mother to clean up.

"Come on, Mom! You're gonna make me late!" I giggle, as she shoots me a playful glare. I'm slowly learning to copy her sarcastic facial expressions.

"Mhm, get your butt out the door, Mister."

I run ahead of her all the way to school.

Apparently, I'm not the only student to be tardy for their first day.

A boy with scruffy, brown hair stands awkwardly outside the door.

"Aren't you going in?" I ask, curiously. The boy is wearing grey clothing, and he looks nervous. He doesn't say anything to me, he just looks at the door.

"Don't be scared," I tell him, poking his shoulder. He looks at me, his eyes wide and fearful. "Come on, you know one person already."

He hesitates, momentarily. "I do?" he asks quietly, apparently confused.

"Yeah," I tell him, shrugging. "You know me. Come _on_!"

I grab his hand, and drag him into the classroom behind me.

**Tobias' POV:**

"How was school, today?" my father asks, gruffly, during dinner.

"I made a friend!" I tell him, excitedly, as I shovel food into my mouth. "His name is Jai, and he's six, like me! He's smart!"

"You don't need friends. You need to focus on your schoolwork, and then you need to do your chores and help out the neighbors with what they need. You're Abnegation, Tobias. You need to learn your place, and it's not screwing around and wasting time with "friends"."

"But I like him!" I protest, angrily.

My father slams his fist down on the table, causing his cup to spill over, and I jump.

"Do _not_ mouth off to me, boy!" he yells, standing up and removing his belt.

I shrink back in fear.

"I'm sorry, I just don't see why I can- OW!" I scream as the leather strip makes contact with the side of my face. I fall from my seat, and attempt to crawl under the table.

"Don't run from me!" he screams, as he grabs my ankle and pulls me back out. I wriggle against his hold, and he pushes me against the wall, grabbing my throat with both his hands.

I begin to struggle for breath, as my father stares into my eyes.

"You will learn your place!"

**Evelyn's POV:**

I feel around in my pocket, feeling two syringes.

One of them already has a serum in it; that's not the one I need.

I clutch the other one, and grab the vial of red liquid out of my other pocket.

Annie only gave me one dose, today. She told me that she didn't want me taking more than I was supposed to.

I've been using Hyperopium for two years, now.

I grit my teeth as I feel the familar burn in my veins, providing some relief from my miserable life.

Natalie gave me the other syringe. She said it's a paralytic serum, and to use it if things get too bad. That she would be keeping an eye out.

I grasp the syringe in my pocket, just to make sure it's still there.

I can't use this; Tobias needs me, here.

Marcus is just as abusive as ever before, maybe moreso. As Tobias has gotten older, my husband has felt even more pressure for our son to be perfect.

I sigh, as I stand from my hiding place on the edge of the faction border. I walk quickly through the houses, and make my way up the steps, and through the front door of my home.

The sight before me is horrifying.

Marcus has Tobias' small form pinned to the wall by his throat, and he is turning blue.

"Get off of him!" I scream, rushing at my husband and pulling him back, causing Tobias to drop to the floor.

Tobias is dead.

He isn't breathing, he isn't moving.

My son is dead.

I almost feel numb as I feel Marcus' fist collide with the back of my head, and I fall to my knees.

"Woman! You will pay for that!" he screams, as he grabs me by my hair, and attempts to drag me into the kitchen. "You will learn your place, as well!"

I scream in pain, as he kicks me in my already tender ribs.

**Tobias' POV:**

I sit up, quickly, my hands flying to my sore throat.

I look around, and I don't see my father.

I hear a scream, from the kitchen, and I crawl quietly to the door.

Father has Mother on the ground.

He's doing something to her, with his pants pulled down.

Mother is crying.

I don't know what exactly it is that I'm seeing, but I don't like it.

Father stands up and turns around, pulling his pants up.

I see Mother reach into her pocket and she pulls out a needle and stabs it into herself.

I place my small hand over my mouth as my father turns back around, kicking Mother repeatedly.

What can I do?

I'm so confused.

Why is this happening?

Why is Father doing this to Mother?

"Evelyn?" my father stops his brutal assault on my mother, kneeling by her side. He places two fingers to her throat, and his eyes go wide. "What have I _done_?"

"Father?" I say, timidly, entering the kitchen. "What is wrong with Mother?"

**Jai's POV:**

"Tobias!" I yell, running at the other boy and hugging him, tightly. I feel the other boy stiffen, and I pull back with a frown on my face.

"Tobias? What's wrong?"

"I can't be friends with you, anymore," he tells me, with his eyes towards the ground, and his hands in his pockets.

"Why not? And what happened to your neck?" I ask, pointing at the angry, purple lines.

"Nothing," he replies, quickly. "And I just can't. Good bye."

I watch as Tobias walks away, with his head down.

I feel tears in my eyes.

I really like Tobias.

Something must be wrong with me.


	19. Chapter Seventeen

**Stormy's POV:**

"Stormy?"

I stir a bit, before turning over onto my stomach in my bed, and I pull the blankets over my head.

"Stormy, come on, wake up," Tris shakes my shoulders gently, while raising her voice a bit, and pulling the covers back. "Four's back; he's got the Hyperopium."

I sit up quickly, throwing my legs over the edge of the bed, and brush my hands through my hair.

I grab my boots that Christina gave me, and lace them quickly.

Tris watches quietly, as I get ready to leave.

"Have they given it to him, yet?" I ask, as we walk out of the bedroom and head downstairs.

"I don't know," Tris answers, honestly.

"Why didn't someone wake me, when Four left? Who sat with Eric?" I ask, as I realize that I had apparently slept for longer than I meant too.

We exit Evelyn's house, making our way towards the hospital, as I quicken my steps.

"We thought you needed the sleep. Uriah, and Daniel, both sat with him," Tris answers, as I push through the double doors, and head straight for Eric's bed, at the far end of the hall.

Eric doesn't look any better than he did the last time I saw him, he actually looks worse...

Uriah and Daniel apparently haven't left, yet, and Four is preparing a syringe with the Hyperopium.

All three of the men look upset, to say the least.

"What's wrong?" Tris asks, as I am finding it difficult to speak over the lump in my throat.

"It's been a difficult couple of hours," Uriah says, quietly, watching as Four flicks the needle.

"That's an understatement," Daniel sighs, appearing stressed. "The hallucinations have gotten really bad-..."

"Fuck!" Eric screams, his sunken-in eyes shooting open, as he lifts his gaze to the ceiling, pulling at his hair. The blonde locks have grown out a bit, and they stick to his damp forehead.

Uriah, and Daniel attempt to hold his arms down, as Eric continues to scream.

"Get that fucking thing out of me!"

"Guys," Four says, attempting to keep himself calm, as he holds the needle at the ready. "I need you to hold him still if I'm gonna do this."

"Wait! Wait! Wait! No! _Please_ , fucking-... Stop!"

Tris and I help Uriah, and Daniel, hold Eric still, as Four injects the red serum into Eric's arm.

The difference is noticeable, almost instantly.

The color begins to return to Eric's pale face, and the hallucination has clearly ended, as Eric is now staring into my eyes, in shock.

He practically jumps out of the hospital bed, throwing his arms around me, and burying his face in my neck.

"They killed you," he whispers into my hair, squeezing me tightly. "You were _gone_."

"I'm here," I tell him, as I pet the back of his head. "I'm here, I'm not going anywhere."

_Later that evening_

**Four's POV:**

Well, this has been a stressful day, to say the least.

Eric seems to have returned to, almost, normal.

Tris has been acting funny all day, like she's torn about something.

"Eric!" I hear Stormy screech, from upstairs. "Stop! What are y- _Ooooooooh_!"

Oh my God.

Well, time for me to leave.

I'm not about to stay here and listen to my brother and Stormy doing that.

I exit the front door of the house, and sit on the steps.

I sigh, tiredly. I really want to go to bed.

But I won't be able to sleep with all that going on.

A moment later, my mother joins me on the steps, a blush on her cheeks.

"You heard them, too, huh?" I ask, with an awkward smile.

"Yep," she says, just as awkward as I am, apparently.

We sit in silence for a few moments, before she speaks again.

"Tobias, I need to explain some things to you," she begins, a sad expression on her face. "About when I left you with Marcus."

"I actually think I'm good," I say, an angry edge creeping into my tone. She would want to do this, now. After the day I've had.

I really don't want to hear her excuses.

The bottom line is that she left me there.

End of story.

"Tobias, please," she's begging me, now. "It's not what you think. I told Eric. He asked me about it."

"He did?" I ask curiously. I still don't want to hear this, but she's sparked my interest. If talking with Eric has brought this on, maybe it'll be worth it.

"Yes. It was not easy to explain, either, so please don't interrupt me until I'm finished," she sighs deeply, and runs a hand through her long hair. "You already know that I married Marcus when I was 16, and I got pregnant and gave birth to you and your brother the same year. What you don't know, is that I came home that night, to see Marcus choking you. You were blue..."

Mother takes a moment to breathe, before continuing.

"I pulled him off of you, and you just fell to the floor in a heap," she starts again. "You were completely still, you weren't breathing... I thought you were dead. I thought Marcus killed my baby."

She choked up at that last part.

Shit.

Now I feel bad.

I place a hand tentatively on her shoulder, while she continues her story.

I listen intently, and feel rage at my "father".

"And I woke up here," she finishes, taking another shakey breath.

I hesitantly reach my arms out to her, awkwardly.

I'm not really a hugging guy, but I've spent most of my life hating this woman for no reason; she's falling apart, and I owe her something.

She accepts the hug, awkwardly at first, and I get the feeling she hasn't really had much physical contact since Marcus. But eventually, she squeezes me tighter, and I let her.

"Love you, Mom," I say, thickly.

Why do we keep having all these deep moments lately?

"I love you, too, Tobias. More than you'll ever understand," she tells me, quietly. "At least, you won't until you have children of your own. Is Tris-."

"Okay," I say awkwardly, pulling out of the hug, and I feel my cheeks burning pink. "I think stopping at 'I love you' is a good idea."

My mother smiles at me; apparently she's amused at my reaction.

"I just thought some grandchildren would be nice, sometime soon," she says, grinning madly.

Oh my God.

"Mom, I think you should talk to Eric, then. Sounds like he's well on his way to fulfilling your wish," I tell her, and she blushes again.

"What wish?"

**Eric's POV:**

"Mom, I think you should talk to Eric, then. Sounds like he's well on his way to fulfilling your wish," I hear Four tell my mother, and I see her blush, as Stormy and myself walk out the door.

"What wish?" I ask, in curiosity, unable to stop smiling.

"Mom wants grandkids from you two."

I feel my smile falter, and I must be making some kind of face, because now everybody is laughing at me.

"Damn! You look _scared_!" Four doubles over in laughter, and I see Stormy wiping tears of laughter out of her eyes.

"Just-, your face!" is all she can say, through her incessant giggling.

"Actually, though," my mother stands up off the steps. "I was trying to see if Tobias could take care of that, first. I mean, he's older."

"By five minutes!" Four whines, and I grin at that.

I can't pass up the opportunity.

"Where's Tris? I'll give you two a five minute headstart then," I say, managing to keep a straight face.

I wonder if that's the face I was making, because damn, that is fucking hilarious.

"Help!"

"Rebel!"

What the fuck!

"Somebody help!"

"Myra, no!"

I turn and sprint towards the sound of the screaming.

There up above the ledge, stands Rebel, Rowen, and Myra.

"Hand over the traitors, Tris Prior and Kaitlynn Benson, or every day more death will follow."

They take a step closer to the edge.

What the hell is going on?

"Hey!" I yell up towards them, as I start climbing up the side. "Hey, stop!"

"Hand over the traitors, Tris Prior and Kaitlynn Benson, or every day more death will follow."

They take another step.

I'm already on the ledge, and I pull Rebel back, throwing her to the other side of the room, and ordering for the two Factionless men standing there, to hold her.

I grab Myra out of the way next.

Rowen is about to step off.

I grab him, and he turns around to look at me.

There is a dead look in his eyes, and there is a little silver ball glowing blue on the side of his neck.

Before I know what's happening, Rowen has pushed me, and I'm falling.

I'm falling.

I hit the cement below, and I hear a cracking sound.

I briefly wonder if it was my head.

I don't feel any pain.

I stand to my feet, in confusion.

How the fuck am I not dead?

"Eric?! Oh my God!" Stormy runs at me, as I stare in shock at the concrete floor beneath my feet.

The cement is cracked, and crumbling where I landed on my back.

I hear a whooshing above me, and before I can turn my head to look, there's another loud crack.

Rowen lays sprawled on the floor, not five feet from where I'm standing with Stormy.

The crack was his head, and blood pools out from his hair like a halo.

"Oh my God, Rowen!" Stormy cries.

She kneels beside his broken body, rocking back and forth.

"I'm sorry!" she tells the corpse of her friend, over and over again.

I think I should feel bad for her loss, but I'm so confused.

Why the fuck am I alive, right now?

**Four's POV:**

I saw him fall.

Time slowed down when the large boy pushed him over the ledge.

But then Eric just stood up, like it was nothing.

How the fuck is he not dead?

Of course, dear sweet Mum insisted that he get checked out in Medical; she wouldn't take no for an answer.

Tris took Stormy outside of the building to talk.

I guess I would need to talk if my best friend just committed suicide because of mind-control, too.

Tori is removing the neurosim disk from him to see if she can figure out how to remove them, before this happens again. She had removed Marlene's, and now she is removing Rowen's, too.

The crowd of Factionless and Dauntless are still in the cafeteria arguing.

The Factionless want to hand over Tris and Stormy if Tori can't figure out how to safely remove the disks, and the Dauntless won't have it.

I won't fucking have it, either.

"Hey, brother."

I turn to find Eric standing behind me, watching the arguments.

"Hey, how are you alive?" I ask. I would really like to know.

"I got no fucking idea," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. "Where's Stormy?"

"Talking to Tris, outside," I reply, sighing.

"Oh," he says. "How are you doing?"

" _Me_?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

He nods.

"Oh, you know," I say, in a slightly sarcastic tone. "Rainbows, and butterflies, and shit."

Eric purses his lips and crosses his arms, waiting for a real answer.

"I don't know," I say, awkwardly. I don't think Eric has ever asked me that question, before. "Kinda stressed, maybe?"

" _Maybe_?"

"Okay, a lot."

"That's what I thought," Eric says, as he sits on a bench. "Want to talk about it?"

"No," I tell him, honestly.

"Okay," he replies, with a slight shrug. I guess he would understand; he's had to talk about all kind of shit he didn't want to talk about. "So, how long have they been gone, now?"

I get an uneasy feeling at his question.

**Stormy's POV:**

"I completely agree," Tris says quietly, rubbing her eyes.

"Now is as good a time as any."

"Let's go, then," I say, with a sigh. I don't want to do this. But if we don't go to Erudite, then the suicides will continue.

We arrive outside of Erudite headquarters, and notice that they have installed some new technology. There's a large hologate at the entrance. When we walk through it, alarms go off all around us, and then hands are cuffing me and my friend.

They walk us inside, and take us to separate cells.

This isn't like the room I had, before. This room is completely cold, grey stone, with a stone bench, a naked toilet, and a naked shower.

I don't know what they're planning on doing with us, but if it means the rest of the Dauntless are safe...

That Eric is safe...

That's all that matters to me.


	20. Chapter Eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so there's not a ton left to this story. I'm not sure if it'll be two chapters, or ten chapters, but I'm almost done with it. I'm letting the story decide, for me. There's a lot going on in my life right now, and this was my attempt at a fluffy story... I don't really do fluff, so I guess, I've mostly succeeded in making lots of people cry... I have liked making Eric cry, though, it's not something I see often:) Anyway, will be done with this story soon, and then I don't know if I'll be writing or not for a while once I've finished this. It kind of depends on my "health".

**Stormy's POV:**

My friend is dead, because of me. 

I can't sleep; every time I close my eyes, my mind replays the image of Rowen jumping to his death, the blood pooling around his broken body. 

It is so cold, in this place.

I keep reminding myself why I came here; I deserve this. 

I haven't seen anyone, since I was placed in my cell, but occasionally, I hear a door slam somewhere, nearby, and footsteps. 

I hope Eric can understand why I've done this; I hope he can forgive me. 

I'm brought from my thoughts quite rudely as the metal door slides open with a grinding screech. I stand quickly, attempting to prepare myself for whoever my visitor might be. A young man wearing the familiar black and blue uniform of the Dauntless traitors enters my cell; I do not recognize him. 

"Let's go," he orders, but I stand my ground, crossing my arms. This boy looks younger than me, and he's got dark hair and honey-brown eyes, with low cheek bones. 

"I was just getting settled in, actually." I suppose I have developed a sort of sarcasm, huh?

The boy scowls, but moves behind me to cuff my wrists together behind my back. He then grabs my arm roughly, and proceeds to march me out of my cell and into a long white corridor. 

"Where are we going?" I inquire curiosly, while we walk. 

"You'll see," he replies, growling in annoyance.

"Who are you?" I ask, and he snorts. 

"I'm Peter," he says, before allowing a smirk to light his face. "But you're just an experiment... like your boyfriend was." 

"Was?" I cry, in alarm, as we reach a set of large double doors. Peter slides a card over the scanner, and then the same blue light scans over his eyes as he lowers his face to the machine. 

"Yeah, he's dead," Peter says, with no hint of sympathy. "I guess you weren't aware that Eric was executed by your little traitor friends, at Candor." 

I realize my mistake, after a moment, when Jeanine's smug grin is suddenly replaced with a look of shock at my words as we approach her. 

"Kaitlynn." 

I swallow, nervously, as Peter leads me to stand in front of her. I notice that Tris is sat in a chair, off to the side, and some man in a long, white jacket is drawing blood from the top of her hand. 

"Jeanine," I spit, with as much venom as I can. 

"You lied to me," the Erudite leader states, simply. I shake my head, attempting to mumble off my insanity, but she raises a hand, slapping my face.

"Eric is alive, and believe me when I tell you," she smirks. "He will come back to me."

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

"How do you know that's what happened?" I think Four might be overreacting, a bit. I mean, the girls could've been kidnapped by some perverted Factionless men, and he wants to sit here, and blame Jeanine? 

"They might actually need our help, right now," I snarl, angrily. "They could be here anywhere-."

"Trust me, brother, please," Four sighs, holding his hands up, pleading for me to believe him. "I know Tris; and I know Stormy, too. Don't give me that look, I know you fucking know her, better. Damn, bro. And just fucking trust me; they went to Erudite."

"How are we gon-." My words are cut short, as the little used Erudite monitors come to life, Jeanine's face appearing on the screen. 

What is this? 

"Four..."

"I know, just... just listen." 

Fuck.

"Good evening. I am pleased to inform you that we have captured two Divergents." Jeanine pauses to smile. 

Thank God, it's not Stormy. 

Jeanine said Divergents.

"We have begun the trial testing for the Interfaction Codex. Within a few days, I believe that our prisoners will be able to unlock the Codex, and we will finally be able to receive the message that our founders had left for us over 100 years ago." 

"I thought that was a myth?" I ask, as I nudge Four in the side. He doesn't answer me, so I turn to look at him, seeing his jaw set in anger, and his hands clenched at his sides. 

"This will be a great, historical moment for our great City," Jeanine's voice starts again. "However, it is greatly unfortunate, that two of our brightest, and most promising, of Dauntless members, Tris Prior and Kaitlynn Benson..."

I don't hear anymore. 

I turn around, quickly, jogging towards the exit of Factionless. 

"Eric!" 

I don't turn around, as Four joggs up beside me. 

"Eric, please," he pants heavily. "Please, wait just a fucking minute, okay?" 

I halt momentarily; I'm leaving, regardless. 

I have to get Stormy away from that woman. 

"Alright, just listen a minute. You can't just go walking in there, like that. It's a suicide mission, for you and for Stormy... And for Tris, okay? We need a plan, and we need numbers. Let's talk this over with Mother, alright?" 

I turn to look back at the monitor, to see video panning over a large white room, and Tris and Stormy stand about six feet apart, on disks. Large, snake-like coils descend from the ceiling. With a sickening feeling, I notice the needles on the ends of the cords. They stab into the girls, at the same time, and they scream out in pain, before falling back into the suspension of the coils, their eyes fluttering shut. 

"Fine," I tell him, blankly. "Go fetch Mother." 

He runs off towards our Mother's home, and I turn to a little elderly lady that had been watching with interest. 

"You, tell Evelyn that I'm sorry," I gulp thickly. "And that I love her, and wish I got to know her better. Tell that guy the same thing." 

I hurry out the doors, sprinting towards Erudite as fast as my legs can carry me. 

That's pretty fucking fast, for some reason.

I could probably keep up with a truck, right now... 

 

 

**Four's POV:**

"He what?!" 

My brother really is an idiot. 

Fuck.

"He left out of here, running. He also said for me to tell you, Evelyn, that he's sorry, he loves you, and wishes he got to know you better," the little old Factionless woman gestures to my mother. 

"He said he loves me?" Mother says, in a broken whisper, tears escaping her eyes. 

"Yes, ma'am," the woman replies, and then turns back to me. "He said to tell you the same thing." 

Fuck. 

 

 

**Tris' POV:**

I come out of the sim, with a start. 

Four got us out. 

It wasn't real; there were tell-tale signs. 

Stormy wasn't here, Will was here, and Peter's nose wasn't dripping blood. 

I look to my right and see that Stormy is out of her sim, as well. 

"That's all for today, we'll start again in the morning," Jeanine's cold voice drifts into my ears, causing me to shudder, violently. The sharp cables retract back into the ceiling, and Jeanine moves to a panel on the wall, opening a door to her left. 

Peter walks in, strutting with an arrogance stride. 

"Guess who came to see you?" he smirks, and gestures to the black and blue clad soldiers dragging a form with them through the doors. 

They throw the poor soul to the floor at her feet, and I hear Stormy gasp. 

"Eric!" 

"Stormy!" he cries out, blood spewing from his lips, as he tries to stand. 

"Ah, ah, ah," Jeanine says, in a condescending tone. "Remember that Noraphine I gave you? You're useless, right now." 

She chuckles darkly, and Stormy starts to cry. 

Jeanine approaches the former Dauntless leader, wielding a syringe with angry, red liquid inside. 

"This," she says, in a joyful tone. "This is the new formula. I think it will do the trick, darling." 

Eric thrashes around, but the six guards hold him down on the ground as Jeanine injects the serum into his neck. He continues to thrash wildly for a few moments, before becoming still. 

Jeanine gestures for the guards to back off, and Eric stands up quickly. 

"Jeanine," he says, in a tone I can't quite decipher, as he raises a hand to touch her cheek gently. The woman laughs at her success. 

"See, Stormy," she says, as Eric moves to stand behind her, pushing her blonde hair out of the way, and attaches his lips to her neck, and she moans. "He is mine." 

 

 

**Caleb's POV:**

"What is the meaning of this?!" I ask in anger. 

A man dressed in the plain black of the traitor Dauntless, is all over Jeanine. That is my job. What right does he have to do this? 

"Caleb!" 

I turn to see the two test subjects staring; the blonde is staring at the man in black, and the one with short, brown hair is staring at me. Clearly, this is the one who spoke to me. 

"Caleb, what are you doing? Help us!" 

I ignore the Divergent, as I approach Jeanine, the anger rolling off of me. 

"Caleb, this is Eric," Jeanine tells me softly, with a gentle smile. "He's mine, too." 

"Too?!" I am growing exceptionally angry; I thought we had something special. 

"Yes, Caleb," Jeanine glares at me, then, and I almost cower under the power of her gaze. What was I thinking? I just want Jeanine to be happy. 

"I apologize," I say, dejectedly, as I turn to leave. 

"Don't go," I hear Jeanine plead, before I have the chance to exit through the doors. 

I turn back around, slowly, and make my way to her; my love. 

"You have to learn to share, okay?" she tells me, with another dazzling, soft smile. 

"Okay," I reply, all anger gone. I guess I should make myself aquainted with this Eric. 

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

"Mother," Tobias calls out to me, from my office. I have been sitting with Stormy and Tris' friends, attempting to keep them calm. It's a rather difficult task, especially when Eric's friends begin to trickle in. 

Tobias hurries into the sitting area, turning on the monitor, before sitting on the floor, to watch. 

I lift my eyes to the monitor, as Jeanine's face mars the atmostphere of my home. 

"Hello again. I know that many of you will be settling down for the evening, soon, but, I have some bits of good news." 

The woman laughs, and I shudder. I hate Jeanine. 

"We have successfully unlocked two, of the five, simulations necessary to unlock the Interfaction Codex," she pauses, and smiles, a cold sadistic expression. 

"We have also successfully rescued a prisoner of war, who was believed to be dead..." 

Oh no. 

No.

"Jai Eric Courtney has been returned to his rightful place," the smirk on Jeanine's face grows even wider. 

This woman is insane. 

Literally.

"On his knees. Eric?" 

I see Eric enter the field of view, his expression, blank, before pulling his lips into a loving smile, as he pulls Jeanine flush against him, attacking her mouth with his. 

This is the hardest thing I've ever had to watch, but I can't look away. 

I placed my baby in her arms; the arms that are now wrapped around that baby's neck. 

I trusted her to take care of him. 

I don't want to sit here and do nothing, but there's nothing to be done, at the moment. We are preparing to attack, but it will take us at least two days. 

I am going to kill Jeanine; I want to watch the lights leave her eyes. 

Jeanine pulls away from my son, moaning his name, before turning back to the camera, as Eric moves his mouth to her neck, then her collarbone, and attempting to move lower. 

"I just wanted to rub it in, Evelyn," Jeanine smirks, and then starts moaning furiously as Eric dissapears from view, in front of her. Then the screen goes blank. 

"Did... we all, just see that?" Uriah says, slowly, like he believes it was a figment of his imagination. 

"I'm going to fucking _kill_ that bitch, if it's the last thing I fucking do!" I scream.

 

 

**Jeanine's POV:**

"Fuck, Eric!" I moan, as he works his tongue furiously, between my legs. "Stop!" 

He complies, with a whimper, and I giggle. 

"C'mere," I demand, beckoning him with my finger. He kisses me deeply, and I can taste myself on his tongue. I move my hands down between us, quickly relieving him of his jeans, and lightly run my finger up the side of his erect member. He shudders, and moans into my mouth, before entering me. 

I did this to him. 

I made him like this. 

That thought alone almost sends me over the edge.


	21. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody:) So, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to murmelinchen for listening to me rant about a bunch of crap going on in my life; being able to talk about it has helped tremendously! If you haven't already, please go read her Eris fic "Last Resort", she's got it here, and on ff.net :) It's awesome, and she's so talented :)   
> So, without further ado, here's the next chapter;)

**Annie's POV:**

I am so sick of Jeanine Matthews.

I have worked for her for almost 20 years, now, and I have watched her descend farther, and farther into madness. 

It all started when I was an initiate; I transferred from Amity. 

Jeanine, and her husband, Conrad, had been attempting to start a family. Jeanine assumed it was Conrad's fault, and would make comments about his inability in front of us initiates. 

One day, near the end of the first stage, Conrad Matthews came storming into the classroom, walking straight up to Jeanine. He got in her face, and loudly explained, to her horror, that he was not the problem; Jeanine was. 

He explained how their tests had come back, and that she was sterile, and that, contrary to what she had been telling all of Erudite, he actually had a larger than normal sperm count. 

He left her. 

I didn't see her again, until almost the end of stage two. 

She was interested in my research of narcotics. 

I didn't understand why, at first, but over the years it became more and more apparent. Jeanine wanted to control people. She wanted to decide who stayed or who left. She wanted to decide who loved her. 

When she had me program Eric's first serums, with a revenge Suggestion, I didn't really think much about it. 

I understand now that she was only drawing him in, with an emotion that was already burning through his veins. Once she had him hooked... well, she had him hooked. 

What really disturbed me, was when she had me program the new serum with a love Suggestion; love towards Jeanine. 

She had the Prior boy injected with the new serum, and he receives several doses a day. 

At this point, I don't know if she still considers this "testing", or not. I just consider it utter insanity. 

She had Eric injected with Noraphine; it wiped the Immortal from his system. 

Immortal was another of my "masterpieces". It has taken all of my time here at Erudite to perfect it, but, I've finally done it. We cut it with the last batch of Hyperopium, before the new formula.

I guess Jeanine was worried that the Immortal would override the toxicty of the Hyperopium 0.2. It does what the name implies. 

I felt sick when I saw what it made Eric do. I remember when Jeanine gave him to Chris and Karen. I watched him grow up. 

I am responsible for this. 

What have I done?

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

"Oh, Eric!" Jeanine moans, beneath me, as I slowly rock my hips against her own. I am so in love with Jeanine. 

Jeanine is beautiful.

Jeanine is smart. 

Jeanine is elegant.

I love Jeanine. 

....

What? 

What the fuck? 

I jump back from the grasp of the Erudite leader, suddenly. 

What am I doing?

"What the fuck is going on, here?!" I scream, as Jeanine smirks up at me while I back away from the bed. 

"Where do you think you're going?" she drawls, huskily. "Is it wearing off? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I'll have to get Annie to work on the duration of the new formula." 

"What the fuck did you do to me?!" I scream in horror, rage boiling in my veins. 

"Caleb! Hold him down, please?" I jump back again, startled when Tris' brother enters the room and approaches me with a dead stare. I swing my right fist at him, surprised at how weak a punch I attempted. 

Jeanine laughs, as Caleb drags me back to the bed, roughly. 

"Noraphine's a bitch, huh? You're useless; weak. Tie him, Caleb."

I attempt to thrash out at the boy, but to no avail; I can barely lift my arms. 

Caleb ties my ankles to the bedposts, before attaching my wrists to the headboard. 

"What the fuck is this? Jeanine, why-." 

The Erudite woman slaps me, hard, across my face, as she climbs on top of me, straddling my hips. 

"Oh, Eric," she croons. "We can really be something. You just have to stop fighting it." 

I attempt to buck her off, but it doesn't even faze her; I've hardly moved at all. 

"You're fucking sick, Jeanine!" I scream, as she rakes her fingers down my chest. She spends extra time massaging over my scars, and I look away. 

"You're mine," she says, darkly, biting down on my shoulder. 

It's all I can do to suppress a cry of pain. 

Fuck, that hurt. 

Before I know it, Jeanine has lowered herself onto me; riding me. 

I shoot her a death glare, but she just smirks at me. 

"I might not put you under the HyOp for a while; this, your struggle, it turns me on. I want to leave scars on you, too." 

I shudder at her words, as she continues to ride my unwilling body. 

 

 

**Stormy's POV:**

_I am standing on the platform, above the cafeteria at Dauntless, as I look out over all the faces of my faction. Some are smiling at me, shouting words of encouragment. Tris is by my left side, and she tells me that it's okay to tell them._

_'Tell them what?'_

_'You know what,' she tells me, with a soft smile._

_I scan the faces in the crowd again, all of them looking at me expectantly._

_I spot Eric, off to the side of the crowd, glaring up at me._

_He knows._

_'I'm Divergent,' I admit, quietly, though everyone has heard me say it._

_'I'm Divergent.'_

 

I awaken from the sim, and hear a robotic, female voice.

"Candor sim, complete."

I look to my right to see Tris awaken with a start.

"Abnegation sim, complete." 

"Take them back to their cells." I watch as Jeanine approaches the glass separating us from her, and her lab rats. I growl, and sneer at her, but she just smirks, before turning her back to us. 

Peter and another Dauntless traitor that I've learned is named Paul, cuff the two of us, and push us forward, harshly. 

We are lead down a different route than usual, passing different cells with prisoners inside. 

"Four!" 

I turn my head when Tris began her struggle, eyes wild as she fought against Peter, he only smirked at her. 

Four is here; in captivity. 

"Tris! Stormy!" his shouts are muted, through the glass, as he bangs his fists against the door. 

If Jeanine has Four, who else does she have here?

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

"Peter has contacted us," Drew enters my office, unannounced, while I don my holster and gear up. 

"And?" I inquire, as I continue to prepare myself for the attack on Erudite. 

"Tris and Stormy have completed the Candor and Abnegation sims. Four is ready and waiting." 

"What about Eric?" I ask, quietly, sadness thick in my voice. 

Drew clears his throat a bit before continuing. 

"He's no longer under the influence of the Hyperopium, according to Peter. He's informed us that Jeanine has him in a solitary cell, in the basement." 

I don't know if that is good news, or bad news. 

"Make the call; we leave in an hour." 

"Yes, ma'am."

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

"Fuck!" I scream, as the whip hits my back, again. 

I am so confused.

Why is this happening?

Why is Jeanine doing this to me?

"Ahh!" I feel my body arch forward, from the sting, before I drop to hang limply from the bindings on my wrists. 

I don't feel another lash, for a while. 

But, when the next one comes, it strikes across the length of my back; the tip hitting the top of my left shoulder, and then wrapping around to my hip on the right. 

I can't stop the sob from escaping my lips; I am in excruciating, burning pain.

I can feel the blood dripping down my body from where the weapon tore open my flesh; some of it already coagulating. 

The sting doesn't come again. 

I fall to my hands and knees when my bindings are released, my body threatening to give out. 

My entire body is trembling, from pain, and cold. 

"If you would just cooperate, Eric, I wouldn't have had to do that," Jeanine says, as she kneels beside me, running a hand over my back, before digging her finger into one of the wounds, twisting painfully. 

"Ahhhhh!" I scream, again, and I feel the tears burning my eyes. 

"Caleb?" 

The Prior boy enters my new, damp cell, looking expectantly to Jeanine for his orders. 

"Break him, for me," Jeanine says, with a smirk. "Just don't kill him. I need him to complete the last sim for me." 

What?

I don't have time to ask any questions, though, because Caleb kicks me, harshly in the face. I roll over onto my back, from the strain of trying to hold my weakened body up, but that was a mistake. Another pained cry tears from my lips, as the open wounds on my destroyed back hit the rough, wet cement. 

Jeanine has left, now. 

It's just Caleb. 

I know this is my fault. 

It's my fault Caleb came back to Erudite. 

I try not to shrink back when he approaches me, again.

 

 

 

**Four's POV:**

This is the hardest waiting game, ever. 

Everything is in place, we are just waiting for the go ahead from my Mother. Peter is ready, I am ready. I almost lost it, completely, when Peter walked by, escorting Tris and Stormy. 

To Tris, it probably looked like he was trying to mock me, or rub it in. In reality, he was doing me a favor; I needed to see that she was okay. 

She was not okay. 

Stormy was not okay. 

There is only one sim left, and I find myself wondering which of the girls it will be? 

I stand up quickly, when I hear a commotion down the hall, making my way to the glass door, again. I briefly wonder if it is Factionless and Dauntless, here already, but that hope is quickly struck down. 

Tris' brother, Caleb, is all but dragging my brother through the corridor. I feel my heart break at the sight of him; I could only imagine what he's been going through. 

"Wake up, Caleb!" Eric shouts at the boy, as he struggles to tear away from him. 

Caleb stops in his tracks, throwing my brother down to the floor. From the angle he is, now, I can see his back, in full. It has been all but ripped to shreds. 

Caleb looms over Eric, before kicking him several times in the ribs. 

"Stop!" I scream, in anger, banging my fist against the door. "Leave him alone!"

Caleb halts his assault, looking up at me, with a dead expression. He simply stares for a moment, before hauling Eric off again, and my brother catches sight of me as they pass. 

"Four!" his eyes go wide, and what I see swimming in those blue-grey depths terrifies me. I don't think I've ever seen Eric look at me with such longing, and desperation. 

I lock my eyes with his frightened ones, before he has left my field of vision. 

"Hang in there, brother," I whisper, as I feel a tear slide down my face. 

 

 

**Peter's POV:**

I try to keep the solemn expression off my face, as I enter the sim lab. 

Jeanine stands off to the side, gazing intently at monitors and data. 

I take my place to the side, to watch and wait. 

I hear the air-lock doors slide open on the other side of the glass, before Caleb Prior makes his entrance, dragging my former leader behind him. 

I definitely never thought I would see Eric, of all people, in a situation like this. 

I didn't think he was Divergent. 

"Shit!" Eric screams out, as the snake-like cables stab into his body, his eyes squeezed shut in pain. 

He is breathing heavily, and appears to be at Death's doorstep. 

Hopefully, he'll last long enough to finish the sim, and for the rescue we have planned. But, from the looks of him... 

"What the fuck is this?!" Eric screams, directing his question at Jeanine. 

The leader of Erudite looks up to him, and smirks, wickedly. 

"There's one sim left," she states, simply. "It's Dauntless, should be a piece of cake, huh?"

Eric seems to be thinking really intensely. 

"But... I'm not-."

"Divergent?" Jeanine smirks again. "Aren't you?"

Eric's eyes go wide, before the cables hold him in suspension, the look of panic on his face fading along with his consciousness.


	22. Chapter Twenty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everybody that takes the time to read this:) Here's this thang;)

**Eric's POV:**

_Where am I? I don't know this place._

_I'm walking through an old, abandoned building; most likely a factory, from the looks of it. Water drips from the ceiling, in slow, steady drops. The air is chilled, and the atmosphere is suffocating._

_I feel movement at my feet, and look down._

_Spiders._

_Millions, and millions of spiders._

_"Fuck!" I scream, as I swat at the spindly-legged creatures crawling up my body. I am so concerned with the brown, and black, insects, I almost didn't notice the smell of smoke._

_The spiders begin to disperse, as the smoke fills the air, choking me._

_I drop to my hands and knees, gasping for breath, when I see the flames._

_I feel the heat on my face, the orange glow illuminating the once dark room._

_The flames lick across the ceiling, and the walls, and the floor. They creep so close to me, that I can feel my clothes become singed. Just when I think I'm going to pass out from smoke inhalation, the flames recede._

_Water is coming up through drains in the cement floor, filling the large room, fast._

_I panic, and stand, searching for a way out._

_There is no way out._

_The water that was dripping from the ceiling begins to pour down, in torrents._

_The icy liquid rising up to my chest._

_I can't swim._

_I don't know how to swim._

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

"Go, go, go! Move it!" I scream, as I lead my Factionless, and the Dauntless, into Erudite Headquarters. 

"Find Jeanine!"

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

_The water is over my head, now._

_I am drowning, as I kick out, desperately, trying to reach the surface of the water._

_I feel myself fading, quickly._

_Then the water recedes._

_I'm left on the floor, on my side, soaking wet, and gasping for breath as I pull air into my burning lungs._

_After I've got my breath back, I notice a door._

_I walk towards it, as quickly as I can, desperate to get out of this place._

_"Hello, Eric."_

_I stop in my tracks, turning around, slowly._

_Marcus Eaton, my biological father, is standing in the middle of the room._

_"Son."_

_I glare at him, in anger, remembering what he did to my mother, and Four._

_"I'm not your son."_

_"Yes, Eric, you are," Marcus replies, moving towards me._

 

 

**Four's POV:**

"Mother!" I cry out, in relief, when my cell door is opened, and my mother enters the tiny room. I grab her in a quick, loving embrace. It's the first time I think I've not felt awkward at physical contact with the woman. 

"Tobias!" my mother, replies, clearly relieved, as well. 

"Mother, they took Eric to the sim lab..." 

"The sim lab?" understanding lights my mother's face, and her eyes widen. "He's Divergent." 

"Eric? Divergent?" I ask, incredulously. There is no way my brother is Divergent. 

I don't think...

"Four!" 

I open my arms, catching Tris when she runs to me. I kiss her gently, but with urgency. 

"We have to get to Eric," Evelyn says, quietly. We are running out of time. 

If Eric isn't Divergent, he could die quickly, in the sim. 

If he is Divergent, he could still die in the sim. 

"Four?" Stormy pipes up. I didn't even notice when she'd come in. "The only sim left, was Dauntless." 

Oh my God.

The Dauntless sim, would be the most dangerous; the longest in duration. 

"Let's go!" I shout, as we head down the corridor towards the sim lab, waves of Dauntless, and Factionless, following us. 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

_I charge at Marcus, with a battle cry, jumping on top of him. I proceed to beat his face to a pulp, until I feel him still, beneath me._

_I back up, removing myself from his body, and stare at the blood on my hands._

_When I look back up, Marcus isn't there, but hundreds of grey-clothed bodies lie on the floor, at my feet. Men, women and children. All of them have died, by my hand._

_"No!" I scream, in despair, as I drop down by a toddler; a little girl. "Wake up! Please, don't be dead! I didn't want to do it... I didn't want to do it!"_

_"Of course you did, Eric," Jeanine replies icily, walking up beside me. I stand quickly, ready for the fight I know is coming._

 

 

**Jeanine's POV:**

"His vitals are dropping, ma'am," Caleb informs me, in a professional tone. 

"Do not pull him out, he can take it," I reply, almost tingling in anticipation, watching his invisible struggle. 

"Hello, Jeanine."

I turn around, only to find the barrel of a pistol in my face. 

"Evelyn." 

I watch as the swarms of black clad soldiers have surrounded me, and my scientists. Evelyn forces me to turn around, as she cuffs me, and I take a small moment of pleasure watching Eric struggle to survive. I feel the smirk creep over my features, as I glance to the hologram of the simulation. 

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

I turn my eyes to the hologram, when Jeanine does. 

Eric is fighting. 

Eric is losing the battle, against himself. 

"Pull him out! Pull him out, now!" I demand of the evil woman in front of me. 

"No," she says, with a grin. 

I cock my gun, placing the barrel between her eyes. 

"Pull. Him. Out. _Now_ ," I tell her, darkly, as Four, Tris and Stormy come up beside me. 

"N. O. No," she replies, laughing. "He passes the sim, or he dies. I'm willing to die for this." 

I push her towards the soldiers, ordering her detained, immediately. Turning back to the hologram, I watch my son fight for his life.

"What have they done to him?" Stormy asks, quietly, and I look to my son, struggling in suspension of the cables. 

His back is a mess of ripped, and broken flesh. Fresh, and dried, blood covers the majority of his body. The exposed skin of his torso is mottled with bruises, all differing in shape and size. And the skin above the waist band of his low-hung jeans is purple. 

What has Jeanine done to my son?

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

_"Of course you did," Jeanine tells me, with an evil smirk. "You wanted revenge against the Divergents, because of Stormy. The only person you have to blame is yourself. This is all your fault, Eric."_

_I swallow thickly, before I catch a shadow approaching out of the corner of my eye._

_"Hello, Eric."_

_I turn around to see myself._

_I look much like I did, that day, when I lead the attack against the innocents at Abnegation._

_"What is this?" I ask, in confusion._

_"Awe, let me guess. You're confused?" the other me speaks to me in a mocking tone. "You're confused. You're so confused. You don't like to be confused."_

_I shake my head in shame, not meeting the other me's eyes._

_"You're pathetic, you know that?" he tells me, coming into my personal space, and I shiver. "What, too close for comfort? I'm here, because you're scared of yourself."_

_"I'm not-."_

_"Pussy."_

_"I'm not-."_

_"Coward."_

_"Will you-."_

_"What? Want me to shut up?" he continues in the condescending, mocking tone of voice. "You've had enough? Need me to stop? Coward!"_

_"I am not a fucking coward!" I scream, as I charge at the other me. I swing my fist, and feel it collide with flesh and bone. The other Eric staggers back, but quickly composes himself, laughing._

_"That all you got? Pussy!"_

_"Shut up!" I scream, charging him again, grabbing him around the waist. He doesn't budge, and merely laughs at me._

_"You can't fight me, and win,_ little boy _," he says, darkly. He pulls his fist back, and I attempt to block, but I'm no match against the other me. He launches a harsh blow to my ribs, and I feel them crack, and at least one punctures my right lung._

 

 

**Four's POV:**

There is not a sound in the sim lab, as the entirety of faithful Dauntless, and Factionless, watches the brutal simulation. 

My brother is losing.   
Jeanine won't pull him out.   
He's going to fail the sim, and die. 

I glance back, and forth, between my brother and the hologram screen, where he is attempting to fight himself. Blood is beginning to seep from his ears, and his nose, as he struggles against his unseen assailant. 

"We have to get him out of there!" Stormy whispers fearfully, next to me. 

We can't.   
We don't know what to do. 

If we enter the wrong thing into the computers, it could just kill him, anyway. The only chance we have to keep him alive, is to hope that he succeeds in passing the sim. 

It doesn't look good. 

"We can go in there, with him, but you have to stand back, okay? Have I made myself clear?" I inquire, as Stormy looks to Eric, sadly. She nods, slowly. 

I open the doors, and as many Dauntless as can fit in the small area, crowd the doorway. 

"They had you doing that?" I ask, as I feel Tris slide up against me. 

"Yes," she whispers, quietly. "But not that bad. Nothing like this." 

Seeing him up close, I don't know how he's alive, now. 

"Hang in there, Eric," I plead, knowing he can't hear me; willing him to survive. 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

_My other self, grabs me roughly, holding me above his head, as he walks towards the window._

_"You're not Dauntless," he sneers, as he pulls me down, only to hold me off the ground by my throat. "You're Erudite in Dauntless clothing. You're nothing. You couldn't save Stormy. You couldn't save yourself. You're useless, coward."_

_He throws me through the window, the glass shattering as my back makes the impact._

_I'm falling._

_I look down and see the city below me, stretching out as it creeps closer, as everything slows down._

_I look back up, and see my other self jump out of the same window, making a dive towards me._

 

 

**Stormy's POV:**

 

"Eric!" I try to run towards him, but Four grabs my shoulders, pulling me back. 

"You have to wait, Stormy."

I watch as the other Eric leaps from the window, diving for my Eric. He crashes into my Eric, the two tangling together in a flurry of fists flying, and legs kicking. 

The ground is fast approaching. 

I look to Eric, hanging almost upside down by the cables suspending him in the air, his features pulled into a grimace at the battle raging in his mind. 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

_"Your attempts to fight me are laughable," the other me snarls, grabbing my throat. My hands fly up, attempting to loose his hold on my neck._

_"You're weak!" he smirks at me. "You're nothing without your fix, are you? That's all you'll ever be,_ Jai _."_

_I feel odd, hearing my real name coming out of the other me's mouth._

_"You're weak. A victim. An addict," he smirks, and I find myself glaring daggers at him. "You're a cry baby. Nobody will ever care about you. You're a coward."_

_The rage sparked at his words has given me an adrenaline rush, and I manage to tear out of his grasp. I push his body under me, as I throw punch after punch to his face, while I straddle his waist._

_I see the shock in his face, when we crash into the pavement, and I feel the bones in his body crumble from the force of the impact._

_He's dead._

_I roll off of him, quickly, leaning up on my elbows as I struggle to get to my knees._

_As I push my battered body off the ground, I see the box; the Interfaction Codex descending in front of me, where it hovers in the air._

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

"Dauntless sim, complete."

He did it. 

Eric passed the sim. 

My gaze flicks over to my son, suspended by the cords, and I see that his body has ceased its movements. I look back to the hologram, as the glowing image of a woman appears above the box. 

"Hello," she says. "I come from beyond the wall, where humanity has been all but destroyed. We created your city as an experiment. We created the faction system to ensure the peace, but, we believe there will be those among you who will transcend this system. These would be the Divergent. They are the only hope for humanity. If you are seeing this, then at least one of you, has proven that our experiment has succeeded. Mankind awaits you, with hope, beyond the wall."

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

I awaken from the sim, gasping for breath, and panicking as I drop to the floor, the cables ascending back into the ceiling. 

What just happened?

What am I supposed to make of this? 

"Eric!" I turn my weakened gaze to see several members of Dauntless to my right. Four, Tris, my mother, and Stormy among them. 

Stormy runs to me and kneels by my side. "Eric... what happened to you?" 

I am so dizzy. 

I feel like I'm going to vomit. 

I try to push the throbbing in my head aside, as I look up to Stormy, her face starting to blur.

"Stormy?" I hate how weak my voice sounds, but I have to say this. 

"Yeah?" her voice sounds so distant; like she's standing at the far end of whatever tunnel I'm descending into. 

"I... love you."

The words have barely escaped my bloodied lips, before I succumb to the darkness.


	23. Chapter Twenty-One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there aren't many chapters left; maybe 7 or 8 tops. Here's the update you've been wanting:) Enjoy xoxo
> 
> OH and P.S. Don't forget to check out Murmelinchen and "Last Resort" here, on AO3 and over on ff.net She's freaking awesome:)

**Four's POV:**

"Eric!" I rush to my brother, dropping down to my knees next to him, and place two fingers to his jugular, feeling for a pulse. 

It's very weak. 

"We need to move him to medical, now!" I scream the order, and Uriah rushes to help me. I throw one of his arms over my shoulder, and Uriah takes his right side, as we drag him off to the hospital. 

Stormy follows behind us silently; I glance back at her, every so often, to see her staring at the damage to my brother's back. 

I've got some questions about that, too. 

It didn't surprise me that the majority of Dauntless followed us down the corridor, the Factionless dispersed throughout Erudite Headquarters to set up security. 

I guess we've taken Erudite.

I can't find it in me to be excited about that fact, though, as I take in the state of my brother, as much as I can, as we all but drag his unconscious form down the hall. 

"What happened to his back?" Uriah asks, suddenly, unable to keep silent any longer. 

"Probably Jeanine," I reply shortly, anger thick in my voice. 

We enter into the sterile, white room, and place Eric on the gurney. I'm about to search for a doctor, when a red-headed woman around my mother's age comes rushing in. 

"I saw you bring him in," she explains, quickly. She is clearly Erudite, if the white lab coat is anything to go by. "My name is Annie." 

She moves over to Eric, checking his vitals with a frown on her face. She starts an I.V. in the vein on the top of his right hand, as my mother enters the room. 

"Annie?" her shocked face quickly turns to anger. "Get the fuck away from my son!" 

She charges at Annie, knocking the woman to the floor, as she squeezes her hands around Annie's throat. 

"This is all your fault!" she screams, as tears begin to slide down her face. 

"Mom! Stop, let her help him! We don't have a choice!" It is difficult, but I manage to pull my mother off of the red-head. Annie gasps for breath, slowly standing to her feet. 

"You're right," she says quietly. "It is... I'm sorry."

"Wait," I look between my mother and Annie in confusion. "What the fuck is going on here?" 

My mother opens her mouth to explain, but Annie beats her to it. 

"I created the original version of Hyperopium," she admits, quietly. I can feel my eyes go wide, against my will, at the shocking revelation. "I created, and programed, all the modified versions. It-... It was just research." 

The red-headed woman begins to cry. 

"I- I didn't know it would turn out like this," she continues, attempting to choke back sobs. "I injected him the first time; Jeanine had me program the serum with a revenge Suggestion-."

"What the fuck does that mean?" I inquire angrily, feeling my face heat up in my rage. 

"In a nutshell, it means that all he could think about was revenge," she explains, quietly. "Revenge against Divergents, because Amar was Divergent, and Eric believed that he had killed Kaitlynn. What he didn't know, was that Jeanine already knew he was Divergent. She wanted Kaitlynn out of the way, so she could gain control over Eric. She had Amar injected with an early form of the mind-control serum, and had him inject Kaitlynn with a paralytic. Jeanine had sent in a spec ops team to extract her from Dauntless, and she had Amar make it look like a random terror attack. He was aware of what he was doing, but he couldn't control it. Eric killed him by his own means, in his right mind, for revenge. Jeanine just enhanced and exploited that emotion for her own insane purposes."

I turned my head towards Eric, quickly, when I heard a moan escape his lips. 

"Eric? Eric wake up," Stormy moves to his side, taking his hand in her small ones. Sweat is dripping down his face, mingling with the blood, and his eyes move furiously under his closed eyelids. 

I turn back to Annie. 

"Fix him, now," I demand, darkly. "You will explain yourself, later." 

She nods, lowering her gaze to the floor, before returning her attention back to my brother. 

We watch as she works, starting him on oxygen, and hooking him up to the monitors. 

"Can you give me a hand?" she asks me, quietly, ashamed. "I need to turn him over."

I move to help her, silently, and we turn Eric over on to his stomach. 

I almost vomit as I am finally able to take in the full extent of the damage to his back. Long lines of ripped flesh run in different directions along the entirety of his back. The flesh around the torn skin, is an angry red, and is starting to bruise. Some of the wounds have begun to coagulate, but some of them still spill out fresh blood, still oozing across his torn skin. 

"Bull whip." 

"What?" 

"This was caused by a bull whip," Annie says quietly, darkly. 

"What does that mean?" I ask, confused about the whole situation. "Why?"

"It means," she sighs, deeply, as she reaches for gauze, dipping it into a solution sat on the table by the hospital bed. "It means, that when the serum lost it's effectiveness, he didn't cooperate."

She finished cleaning and bandaging the wounds on his back, avoiding my gaze, before we turn Eric back over. 

"I thought she was testing the extent that our Suggestions to the serum would reach," she explains, as she continues to work, dabbing the cuts on his stomach. "Suggestions are programs for the transmitters, forcing, moreso than suggesting, the host to feel and think and act a certain way. The most recent serum, she had me program a love Suggestion." 

I give her an incredulous look. "You mean to tell me, that Jeanine Matthews forced Eric to think he was in love with her?"

"Yep," she answers, her voice full of remorse. "But it wore off hours ago... they were, uh, together when it did. Caleb was all too happy to tell me all about it." 

"What do you mean, together?" Stormy looks up then, anger gracing her features. 

I know what she means. 

I can't wait to get my hands on Jeanine. 

 

 

**Stormy's POV:**

"I don't think I should be the one to divulge that information," Annie says quietly, as she continues dabbing at Eric's shredded back. "I'd rather let him tell you... when he's ready." 

"I think you can tell me, now," I stand, crossing my arms over my chest as I glare down at the red-headed woman. 

She blinks rapidly, clearly my unspoken threats have been made clear, though. 

"Please, keep in mind, he had no control over what he was doing," Annie starts, quietly. She hesitates, apparently pondering just how much she should reveal to us. 

"Please, keep in mind, I have no control over what happens to you, if you don't start talking," Uriah spits out, seething with anger. Eric really doesn't understand the loyalty and love of the other Dauntless towards him; he just doesn't see it. 

The red-head shrinks back a bit, in fear, before she clears her throat. 

"Eric is Divergent, so the serums never lasted long for him," she begins. "It's why he was taking such high doses of the Hyperopium, so often. The latest program had a shorter duration as it is. Like I said, they were together when it wore off." 

I glare at Annie; I've already made myself clear about her needing to elaborate. 

She catches my gaze, and sighs, defeated. 

"They were having sex," she finally admits. "When he came to, he tried to get away from Jeanine, but... she had Caleb tie him to the bed..." 

"What?" Myself, Evelyn, Four, Tris, and Uriah all inquire at the same time, in the same shocked tone. 

"Yeah, he was fully aware when..." Annie hesitates, her hand holding the gauze hovering over Eric's stomach, trembling. She suddenly breaks down into sobs, placing her head in her hands. 

"I'm so sorry!" she cries. "I didn't know it would turn out like this! If I had known, I would've stayed in Amity... I was there when Natalie brought Eric to Jeanine, I watched Jeanine hand him over to Chris and Karen-." 

"Where is he?!" 

I turn my head towards the door, to see an Erudite couple pushing through the black wall of Dauntless soldiers. 

"Jai!" the woman rushes to Eric's side, gently rubbing his cheek with her thumb, as tears fall from her eyes. 

These must be Eric's parents.

His adoptive parents. 

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

I guess I should've expected Chris and Karen to show up at some point. 

I can't really make sense of how I feel about them though; I feel awkard seeing my son's adoptive parents. 

"Who did this?" Chris demands, darkly, seething in anger. "Who did this to my son?!" 

The room has fallen silent, except for the slow, irregular beeping of the heart monitor attached to Eric. 

Somehow, I manage to find my voice, in spite of the awkward tension. 

"Jeanine," I answer, quietly. I look to Annie, and she has a confused look on her face. I believe her story. She didn't know, or want, any of this to happen. 

"Where is she?!" he demands, taking a step forward, hands clenched by his sides. 

"She's detained, for now," Tobias speaks up, clearly putting two and two together. "She'll be put on trial, and executed." 

"What-?" I turn my gaze to Karen, to see her lightly touching the bruises just above the waistband of Eric's low-hung jeans. She turns to me with tears in her eyes. "What is this? What happened to my son?" 

Eric groans, and I hold my breath as his eyes flutter open, slowly. 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

"Ah, fuck," I groan, as I attempt to sit up. I feel a cold hand push me back down, though, and I turn to see my mother. I mean, my adoptive mother. 

"Don't even think about it, Mister," she glares at me, and I glare right back. 

"Well, I see where you learned that from," Four speaks up, as he enters my field of vision. "Good to see you, brother." 

After a moment of staring blankly at Four, the memories of the day flood back into my mind. Before I can do anything to stop it, I'm sobbing, attempting to cover my face with my arms, and biting my hand to try and conceal the sounds, but it's not working very well. 

"Get out, now," I hear Four demand, followed by shuffling sounds and whispers before I hear the door close. 

I don't know who else is in this room with me, but I'm not about to look either; I don't want anybody to see me cry. 

"Move your fucking arms, Eric," I hear Uriah's voice. "Nobody in here is judging you, I'm crying too, see?" 

I slowly move my arms back down to my sides, and turn towards his voice. 

Well, shit, he is crying. Not the way I am, but he has a few silent tears falling down his cheeks. 

There aren't that many people in here, only the ones I care about. 

I can't stop sobbing, and I unleash a scream of despair and frustration as I pull at my hair. 

"Son," I hear my father's voice, but I don't turn to meet his gaze, too ashamed of myself. "Jai?" 

I feel a dip on my right, and jump a bit, startled, when I realize my father has sat himself beside me, looking down at me. I notice his gaze has landed on my hips, at the purple bruises scattered there, and I quickly attempt to pull my jeans up higher to cover them. 

He turns his gaze to my eyes. I can't make myself hold the gaze though, and I turn my eyes to the ceiling. 

"Who did that?" he inquires, quietly. I can't not answer him; my dad had been Candor. 

My eyes flick over to Tris, who is holding onto Four, as I speak. "Caleb..."

Her eyes go wide, and I think she's about to fall apart. I shake my head, quickly. 

"The serum... Jeanine-... He didn't know. He couldn't help it." 

I avert my eyes again, to stare at the ceiling. 

I attempt to sit up, again, and this time, when my adoptive mother places her hand on my chest to push me back, I grab her wrist, glaring at her. 

She backs away a bit, and I let her go, yanking out the I.V. in my hand, and swinging my legs over the side of the bed to stand up. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Four, Stormy, and Uriah ask me, at the same time. 

"I don't want to be here," I say, quietly, gasping in pain as I try to walk. "Fuck!" 

I almost fall, but my adoptive father catches me, and without realizing why, I am clinging to him, in desperation. 

He holds me, in shock, while I sob into his chest. 

 

 

**Chris' POV:**

I have never seen my son like this. Not in all of his 18 years, have I seen him do this. 

I don't know what to think. 

He's being very vague about what happened to him, and I am extremely confused. 

I hold him while he sobs, my eyes trailing down his back, staring at the blood seeping through the bandages there. 

"It's going to be alright, Jai," I tell him thickly, fighting back my own tears. Me and my son were always close, until he chose Dauntless. I still don't know why he chose Dauntless; I saw his test result. He got Erudite.

I was so confused, and I still am, about his decision to leave. 

That doesn't mean I love him any less. 

"Come on, son," I coax him. "You're Dauntless, you can do this."

He starts laughing, as he slides down to the floor. 

It is a disturbing sight; one that I'm not fond of witnessing. 

"I'm not Dauntless," he tells me, laughing hysterically. "I'm Divergent! Can you believe that?" 

He continues this insane episode, and I look to his friends for some explanation. 

"I manually entered his result," Annie speaks up, albeit quietly. "He tested positive for all five factions, equally." 

All eyes in the room turn on her, except for Jai, as he sits on the floor, mumbling and laughing. 

"I'm confused," he laughs. 

"I'm so fucking confused," he laughs, again. 

"I don't like to be confused," his face breaks into a grimace, as he lets out a sob. 

"I'm so confused, I don't like to be confused. I don't like to be confused. I'm so confused, I don't like to be confused. I don't like to be confused. I don't like to be confused. I don't like to be confused. I don't like to be confused. I don't like to be confused..."


	24. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Caleb's POV:**

"Let me go!" I scream, as I bang against the glass door of the cell that the Factionless placed me in. "Where is Jeanine?! Take me to her this instant!" 

The door opens, and I take the opportunity to try and escape.   
I don't make it through the door, though, as five Factionless push me back, before holding me down. 

"I'm sorry I've done this to you, Caleb," Annie enters the room, walking over to me and dropping to her knees by my side. 

"Let me out of here!" I scream, again. "Jeanine needs me! Please, take me to her!" 

"I'm not going to do that, Caleb," she informs me quietly, as she pulls a syringe from her pocket. She flicks the tip of the needle, and my eyes go wide. 

"What is that? What are you doing to me?!" I panic, attempting to thrash around, but the Factionless are holding me tight, making it impossible to move. 

"This is going to make you better, Caleb," Annie says, quietly. "Jeanine won't have a hold on you, anymore."

"Get off of me! Help!" I continue my wiggling, as Annie sticks the needle in my neck, pressing down on the plunger, and releasing the serum into my blood stream. 

"When I get out of here, I'm... going to... huh?"

What is going on?

Why am I in a cell?

My eyes go wide when my last conscious memory enters my mind. 

"Where is Jeanine?" I ask darkly. "I'm going to kill that bitch."

"Caleb!" I turn my head to see my sister running towards me. The Factionless that were holding me down, release me, and I stand to catch my sister when she runs into me. 

"Caleb! You're you!" she cries, as she holds on to me. "It's really you."

I don't say anything, I just let Beatrice hold on to me. 

"Caleb," Four comes up behind my sister, with his arms crossed over his chest, an unreadable expression on his face. "We've got a lot to discuss... you might want to sit down."

I glare at him. 

"We can talk later," I tell him, my voice low, and seeping with venom. "Right now, I want to know where that bitch is. I'm going to fucking kill her!" 

He looks surprised at my words, whether it was the tone, the subject matter, or the profanity, I'm not sure. I don't really care right now. 

"You can get revenge later," he tells me with a sigh, as the Factionless leave the cell, leaving the door slightly ajar on their way out. "This is important."

 

 

**Stormy's POV:**

Annie sedated Eric; he was having a hysterical, emotional breakdown. 

I've stepped into the hall with Evelyn, and Eric's adoptive parents. 

Uriah went to join the rest of our friends.

"So," I begin, slightly nervously. "You raised Eric? What was that like?"

"Yes, we did," Chris says. "He was the best thing that ever happened to us..." 

He looks down at Karen, where she has an arm around his waist, and his arm placed around her shoulders. 

"We couldn't conceive," Karen explains, quietly. "We had made our peace with that. But, then Jeanine came knocking on our door, in the middle of the night..."

"And she handed me this tiny little, blonde infant," Chris says, smiling as a tear falls down his face. "He was perfect for Erudite. He always told us he was going to choose Erudite, at the ceremony. But, he went missing the night before the ceremony. He didn't come home..."

"We didn't even get to talk to him at the ceremony," Karen explains. "He just showed up, chose Dauntless, and that was that." 

"He used to like puppies," Chris throws in, with a half chuckle, half sob. Karen rubs his back soothingly. 

"When he was five, dear," she elaborates with a slightly cynical expression. 

I can see where Eric got most of his facial expressions. 

"It's not my place to tell you," I tell them quietly. "But just trust me, when I tell you that his choice to choose Dauntless, was a last minute decision. He had his reasons. They were good reasons."

"You know why my son left us?" Karen asks, raising an eyebrow in question. 

"Yes," I tell them, truthfully. "But it's not my place to tell you. You'll have to ask him, sometime."

They both nod in agreement. 

"So," Evelyn pipes up. I'd almost forgotten she was here with us, she's been so quiet. "I just wanted to say thank you... I didn't want him growing up in that house... with Marcus." 

"No thanks are needed," Chris replies. "If anything, we should be thanking you. He brought meaning back into our lives." 

"Well," I tell them, backing up a bit. "I'm going to go see Cal-."

"Kaitlynn!" 

Before I can turn my head to look in the direction that my name was called, Caleb is grabbing me. 

"Caleb? Is it really you?" I ask, almost unsure, but hopeful.

He nods into my neck. 

"Well, hey, let me go," I tell him, pushing him back a bit. "Feeling better? More like yourself?" 

He doesn't say anything at first. 

Then he drops to his knees on the floor in front of me, placing his head in his hands, as he begin to cry. 

"I'm sorry!" he cries, clearly pained. "I'm sorry!"

 

 

**Four's POV:**

"Caleb," Tris goes to place a hand on his shoulder. "You didn't know. You couldn't help it." 

Her brother continues crying from his spot on the floor. 

"Caleb," I step forward. "He doesn't blame you. He said it was the serum. He said you didn't know. He doesn't blame you. He blames Jeanine."

"Is he awake?" Caleb asks, timidly. "Can I... see him?" 

"I don't know if he's awake," I admit, quietly. "But, yeah you can see him." 

Caleb stands to his feet, and I open the door to Eric's room, to let him enter first. 

He swallows thickly, and walks in to the room, slowly. 

The lighting is low, just a faint glow over the hospital bed, it almost feels eerie.

"Oh my God," Caleb breathes quietly. "Oh my God. What have I done?" 

He starts shaking his head, clearly not wanting to believe that the pale figure on the bed is real. 

"Calm down, Caleb," I tell him, again. "It wasn't really you; it was Jeanine. This is all her fault. Not yours."

Caleb moves to sit by the bed, eyes roaming over the torn and broken body of my brother. 

I move to sit on the other side of the bed, leaning over a bit, listening to the now steady rhythm of Eric's heart. It is stronger, now. 

"Caleb?" he looks up at me briefly, before gazing down at Eric again. "Caleb when he wakes up, I need you to not freak out, okay? That's just going to make things worse for him okay?"

He nods silently, eyes traveling over the many bruises that litter Eric's torso. When his eyes land on the purple bruises at his hips, Caleb tentatively reaches out to touch them; his fingers fitting perfectly in form with the bruises there. 

"Oh, fuck," he says, drawing his hand back, and looking towards the ceiling with a few stray tears rolling down his cheeks. I can tell that Tris' brother is about to lose it; it's in his body language, the way he trembles, and breathes heavily. 

"Caleb, you gotta calm down, or-."

"Caleb?" 

We both turn our heads to Eric at the same time as he spoke. A brief look of fear passes over his face, but it's gone as quickly as it came. 

"It's really you!" Eric smiles, wildly grinning, and emitting a small laugh. "It's great to have you back, buddy." 

"I-, I-," Caleb fumbles for words, and I shoot him a deadly glare, warning him to keep silent. Eric was watching our interaction intensely. 

"What, you fucking told him?" Eric hisses, angrily, sitting up. "Why would you tell him? Look at him. He can't handle that shit! Was that really necessary?"

It's my turn to falter for words. 

"Eric, I- I'm so, so sorry!" Caleb pleads, and Eric just glances to him with an annoyed expression. 

"Shut up!" he all but screams at the boy. Caleb shuts his mouth instantly, at the order given. "Do not fucking apologize to me, for anything you did under serum, ever again. Clear?" Eric's voice is dark, and menacing as he glares at the smaller boy. 

Caleb's lips part slightly in shocked confusion, before nodding his head furiously, and stealing a glance in my direction. I just shrug my shoulders. 

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

"What is all this shit?" I inquire of no one in particular, as I feel around my back, feeling the rough fabric covering my skin. My hand grazes over a wound, and searing pain shoots through my entire back, and I emit a low growl. 

I yank the I.V. out of my arm once more, before swinging my legs over the side of the bed and standing up. 

"Where's my shirt?" I ask, looking around. "Why am I never wearing a shirt in the goddamn hospital?"

"You weren't wearing one we pulled you out of the sim lab," Four informs me, and I sigh. Of course I wasn't; how could I forget? "But it doesn't matter, you need to rest, Eric." 

"I'll rest when I'm dead," I tell him, as I push past him, wearing only my low-hung jeans. "I'm sick of being in that fucking room." 

"Where are you going?" my brother asks, skipping to keep step with my slightly longer strides. 

"I'm looking for Stormy," I tell him, walking in my determined gait to where I know the Dauntless are more than likely gathered together. We enter through a set of double doors, and then turn right down another hall. I stop at the door to the auditorium on the left, and take a deep breath, before I push it open. 

I blink my eyes a bit, slowly, trying to focus my spinning eyesight. 

"Eric?" 

I snap my head up quickly, searching for her face amongst the many staring at me. 

"Eric!" Stormy pushes through to the front, pausing only a moment, before running for me. I limp towards her a bit, determined to make the effort, anyway, and open my arms as she runs into me. It is definitely painful, and steals a good bit of my breath away, but, I hold onto her for dear life. 

I know I must look quite the sight. I won't let that deter me. I've already spent too much time, screwing around like this. What if the building were to suddenly explode and we were to die? 

I push her back a bit, as I fall to my knees, unable to hold myself up any longer. I just grab around her legs while she stands, hugging her to me tight. She pushes lightly at my arms, and kneels down so she is on the same level that I am. I feel my eyelids drooping, but I can't let myself pass out again, not yet. 

I gaze into her eyes briefly, before catching her lips with my own. It is every bit as tender as that first kiss we shared, back in Dauntless, so long ago. I slowly move my chapped, bloodied lips against hers, putting as much love into the action as possible. 

I've almost forgotten that all eyes are on us, as I desperately kiss the woman that I love. I pull back slowly, placing one last small kiss to her nose, and take her face in my hands as I press my forehead to hers. 

"Live with me, Kaitlynn. Stay with me. Forever?" I gulp nervously, hoping against hope that she will agree. She smiles at me, in the silence of the auditorium. 

"Always." 

"Seriously?" I turn to see Uriah smirking at me, and I glare at him as I flip him off. 

Stormy lets loose a laugh; the purest, most genuine laugh I have ever heard escape from her lips. I gaze at her in loving amazement; I could listen to that beautiful sound forever. 

"Am I the only one in here, who feels like we're intruding?" I turn to look at my parents, all three of them, and realize it was my biological mother who spoke. 

"Jai's a regular Candor, huh?" my dad says, with the trademark smirk that I learned from him. I smirk right back at him, as I stand and help Stormy to her feet, and walk over to them. 

"I go by Eric, actually," I inform him, rather sheepishly. "And I'm Divergent, by the way. Didn't you hear?" 

"I did," he says, slowly, a small frown tugging at the corners of his lips. I feel my own smile falter at the unconscious movement. I feel my heart drop, as an uneasy feeling flutters in my stomach. 

 

 

**Evelyn's POV:**

"I go by Eric, actually," my sons explains to Chris. "And I'm Divergent, by the way. Didn't you hear?" 

"I did," Chris replies, slowly, a his lips twitching downwards slightly. 

I am aware of what is happening, almost instantly, as Chris draws the gun out of his blue coat. He raises the gun, pointed straight at Eric's chest, finger on the trigger. 

"I'm sorry, son."

"No!" I scream, as I run into my son, pushing him out of the way as the loud, resounding BANG of the gun fills the auditorium. 

"Detain them both!" I scream, as I check over my son to make sure he wasn't hit. 

He wasn't. 

Thank God.

I smile down at him, as I lean forward, the darkness overtaking my mind. 

 

 

**Four's POV:**

"No!" 

The cry of terror, has left my mouth at the same time as my brother. 

I rush to her side, and Eric catches her limp body. 

"Mom?! Mom?! Wake up! Please, wake up!" Eric is panicking as holds her, patting her face gently. 

I feel numb as I place my hand to her side, the warm blood staining my hand crimson. 

"No." I hear my voice speaking, but I feel strangely detached from my body. 

"Mom, seriously, come on... Come on!" Eric screams, tears streaming down his face, as he looks up to meet my gaze, his eyes wide and filled with terror. 

I shake my head slowly. 

"She's gone, Eric," I attempt to force down the lump in my throat as the tears begin to roll down my own cheeks. "She's gone."

Eric just stares at me blankly for a moment, before looking back down to the corpse of our mother, once again, and a loud, strangled sob ribs from his throat. 

I reach out for him, leaning over the body of my mother, as we cry for the woman who gave birth to us. The woman who saved us. The woman who we never trully knew, or gave credit, when credit was due. 

She's gone.


	25. Epilogue

_Two days later_

**Four's POV:**

The numbness I felt when my mother died has receded, giving way to an overwhelming grief, along with guilt.

I should've let her explain everything a long time ago, and now, just I've gained my mother back, I've lost her, forever. 

I can never apologize. 

I can never take back the things I've said to her; the hateful words painfully reminding me, that she loved me anyway. 

She died protecting my brother, so her death was not in vain, but that doesn't make it any easier. 

Eric stands close by my side, trembling, and Stormy and Tris stand on either side of us, as Drew prepares to make the memorial speech for my mother. 

He clears his throat, sparing a glance down at the pale body of the woman who gave birth to me and my brother. 

I swallow thickly.

"Evelyn was the best leader we've ever had. She lead us, victoriously, into Erudite, stripping Jeanine of her power. She never hesitated to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed it, whether they asked it of her, or not. Even with her last actions, she acted selflessly, and out of love."

I feel Eric tense beside me, and I nudge him slightly with my elbow, hoping to comfort him. He exhales deeply.

"Today, we put her body to rest, but her spirit will linger on. Inside of every man, woman or child, who refuses to give up, who decides to take a stand, and fight for what they believe in. We will remember her always, and as we go forth from this place to explore the new world around us, we will carry her in our hearts. We're gonna miss you, Evelyn..." 

I don't bother trying to fight the tears that leak silently from my eyes; what's the point? This is the end. This is the end of the life we once knew, and I can't be bothered to care about my image.

Four of my mother's personal guard step forward, pushing her slowly into the furnace at Dauntless, and close the metal door, as her body breaks down into ash. 

There is no point standing around here, anymore, and Eric must be thinking the same thing, as we turn to head out into the Pit. No longer is our former Hub a lively, joyous auditorium. No laughing, or cheering, or music is to be heard. No dancing, no partying, nothing.

It feels like we are saying goodbye to more than just my mother, today. We are saying goodbye to everything we've ever known.

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

We step out onto the roof, running along and jumping onto the train as it passes. We are heading for the wall, and we will jump when we reach the end, walking until we find some other sign of the civilization that we believed to be lost. 

 

I still don't know what to think about my Divergence. I don't really feel anything, and the revelation doesn't make me feel any different. I cling to Stormy as we watch the landscape pan out into open fields, as we near the fence, and Amity.  
I don't know what we will find outside the fence, but it gives me a small glimmer of hope that it has to be better than growing up in the city. 

No longer will we be isolated from the rest of the world. It gives me an endearing sense of freedom, the likes of such I have never experienced before. 

Four and Tris stand at the door across from us, holding onto each other, as I see a tear slide down Tris' face. The single drop of liquid making my heart ache, and I look down to see Stormy looking up at me. 

"What?" I ask her, softly, as she smiles gently at me. 

"I love you, you know that?" she says, and I smile at that. The genuine tone warming my heart that was once cold as ice. 

"I love you, too, Kaitlynn," I reply, hugging her closer to my chest, and placing a chaste kiss to her forehead. 

 

 

_Three months later_

**Stormy's POV:**

I can't believe they were watching us. All this time... everything that's happened... and they just sat back and watched. The Bureuo of Genetic Welfare ran gene tests on all of us, seperating the Genetically Pure, or the Divergent, from the Genetically Damaged, or the non-Divergent.   
Another three months, and we will be able to venture past the walls of this place. I can't wait to go outside, even if it is surrounded by a fence. I miss the sun. 

A year after that, and we can venture as far from this place as we wish. We are being transitioned to modern life while we are here. They train us for jobs for when we leave, they teach us about society, explaining the modern laws. They explain the sorts of technology to expect, and I greatly enjoy learning about apps and such. Eric has taken a likening to Xbox: Revive; a video game console, and he really enjoys when I sit down and attempt to play Call of Duty: XXV with him on "split screen", though I can't really get into the way he does. 

I sigh, and snuggle closer to Eric in the bed, giggling when he shoves me in his sleep and turns over. I frown slightly, and trace the lines of the scars on his back. At least Jeanine got what was coming to her.

I suddenly feel the urge to pee, so I jump up out of the bed, crawling over Eric to reach the restroom faster. 

"Hey!" Eric calls, with a groan. "I'm sleeping!" 

"Not anymore, you aren't," I retort, as I shut the bathroom door behind me. I snuck to visit one of the nurses, Angela, yesterday. I explained to her what had been going on, and she slipped a small white strip into my pocket, explaining that I needed to place a few drops of urine on the cutout, preferrably with the first morning urine. 

I can't find it in me to be excited, but I need to know. I fidget nervously while I wait; three minutes feels more like three hours. 

"Hey, you okay in there?" I hear Eric's voice on the other side of the door, and I jump, startled, as the alarm I had set goes off at the same time. I scramble to pick up the strip. 

"Y- yeah," I call out. "Just a second..." 

Two red lines stand out like a sore thumb, and I feel my stomach drop to my feet. I don't want this to be happening. I remember the look on Eric's face when Evelyn and Four mentioned him having children. Not that I wouldn't like to have children, I'm just scared of how my fiance will react. 

"Stormy? Seriously, is everything okay?" Eric is still standing just on the other side of the door. I have to come out some time, but I really wish I could jump in the shower and disappear through the drain. 

"Stormy?" The concern in his voice helps a bit, but not much, as I slowly turn the handle of the door, and peek out at him from under my eyelashes. 

"What is it? What's wrong?" he frowns, and reaches a hand out to carress my cheek and I open the door the rest of the way. I feel slightly faint, and sway a bit. 

"Hey! Hold on, there," Eric says, the concern apparently growing at my odd behavior. He leads me back to sit on the edge of the bed, but I can't find it in me to meet his eyes. "Come on, now," he says, gently. "Tell me what's up, please?"

Shit. 

Of course he would be giving me that look. 

I breathe out a shakey sigh, to prepare myself. 

Here goes something.

 

 

**Eric's POV:**

I don't like how she's acting. 

Maybe she wants to call off the engagement. 

Maybe she's having second thoughts about me. 

"I'm pregnant, Eric."

...

"Like, there's a baby inside of you?" I ask, incredulously, trying to let it sink in. 

She nods, averting her eyes from me. 

I feel a small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth at the thought.

"So, what's wrong, then?" I ask, my face finally breaking into a huge grin. She looks up at me in surprise. 

"I thought you didn't want kids?" 

"I didn't, but I do now," I tell her, the grin plastered on my face. We both turn our heads at the loud banging on the door. 

"Eric! Eric! Open the damn door!" Four hollers from the other side. I throw a worried glance towards Stormy as I hurry to open the door for my brother. 

"You gotta help, me, brother," he says, as he gasps for breath. "I don't know what to do! How did this happen?! Wh-." 

"Whoa, slow your horses, bro," I tell him, pulling him inside our appartment. "Calm down. What's wrong?"

"What if I'm no good with kids? What if I drop them? What if-."

"What?" I ask, in surprise. 

"Tris is pregnant, she just found out," he tells me, as I notice his hands shaking. I start to laugh, before I can stop myself, doubling over and almost falling to the floor from laughing so hard. 

"Eric?" Stormy approaches me, slowly, while I laugh. "Is this your personal way of freaking out?" 

"No," I tell her, trying to calm down and catch my breath. "Tris is pregnant, too!" And I burst into laughter again, unable to contain it. 

"Too?!" Four's eyes go wide, and his face in shock. 

"Yeah," I tell him, holding my side where it burns from the force of the giggles bubbling up out of me. "Yeah, Stormy literally just told me, before your scared little ass came banging on the door!" 

"Four!" 

We all turn to look as Tris stalks into the apartment without knocking. 

"Why the hell did you run away? Is it the kid? Or is it me? I'm not pretty enough am I?!" she starts to cry, placing her hand over her mouth, as she turns around and runs into the hall. 

Four looks to me for help, but I just crack a shit eating grin on my face. 

"That's the part you should be worried about, bro," I inform him. "The kid should be easy, it's the hormones you gotta watch out for." 

"God, you're so _insensitive_!" Stormy cries suddenly, in anger, and I raise my eyebrows as I watch her storm out as well, probably to follow Tris. 

Me and Four share a stunned gaze for a moment, before we both keel over laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yes, this is how I've decided to end it, since I didn't really plan on killing Evelyn off. When shit happens in my personal life I take it out on the characters:/ So, anyway, there will be a third installment, but it will be a while, because I'm currently working on two other stories. Go check out Nicotine if M/M or F/M/M doesn't scare you away, lol. And keep an eye out for my new fic The Sound of Silence, I'll be posting it very shortly. Hollow Body Got A Hold On Me, and When the Sky Begins to Fall, were just kinda a little something to get me back into the fan fiction scene, so I know I didn't put in as much work or care as I should have. But, trust me, you're going to want to read The Sound of Silence, it will be EPIC :) Thanks to all who read my stories, and feel free to drop a review to tell me what you think:)


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